Democracy Without Borders
There is a worrying global trend of democratic backsliding. According to research, the average level of democracy a global citizen enjoys has fallen back to that of 1986. There have been almost 20 consecutive years of a continous decline in global freedom other studies say.
Most people want democracy and many feel that there is a deficit: over 80% in countries across the world’s regions consistently say that they find it important to have democracy. But only half perceive their country to actually be democratic and some of them certainly are not.
The UN has always been vocal in its support for democracy. This includes the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly or the Human Rights Council until very recently.
Democratic rights are under threat in many countries. A UN Special Rapporteur on Democracy appointed by the Human Rights Council can help protect and strengthen democracy. The rapporteur should not only address deficiencies but also highlight good practices.
