The UN chief affirmed that democracy, rule of regulation, and respect for human rights underpin freedom, promote sustainable growth and safeguard the dignity of each particular person.
“On the Worldwide Day of Democracy, we rejoice its promise to societies – and acknowledge the numerous threats it faces right now of pressure and turmoil,” he mentioned.
Shrinking civic engagement
Mr. Guterres drew consideration to the alarming pattern of shrinking civic house. Misinformation and disinformation are main considerations, he warned, noting they “poison public discourse, polarize communities, and erode belief in establishments.”
The theme for this 12 months’s Worldwide Day, “Empowering the Subsequent Technology,” spotlights the pivotal position of kids and younger individuals in safeguarding and advancing democracy, each right this moment and sooner or later.
The Secretary-Basic pressured that merely listening to younger voices is inadequate.
A voter forged her poll throughout the 2018 nationwide elections within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Put money into youth
“We should help them with huge investments in training, skills-building, and lifelong studying, and we should defend human rights and advance gender equality,” he mentioned.
In conclusion, the UN chief referred to as for unity throughout generations and urged collective efforts to construct a extra simply and equitable world for all.
Commemorated yearly on 15 September, the Worldwide Day of Democracy is a chance to evaluation the state of democracy globally.
It was established in 2007 by the UN Basic Meeting, which reaffirmed that democracy is a common worth primarily based on the freely expressed will of individuals to find out their very own political, financial, social and cultural techniques, and their full participation in all features of life.
Defend democracy in digital house
Additionally on Friday, unbiased UN-appointed human rights specialists highlighted the hyperlink between the digital world and elementary democratic rights, urging States to make sure that they’re protected in our on-line world.
Particular rapporteurs on freedom of expression, the state of affairs of rights defenders, and freedom of peaceable meeting cautioned in opposition to the misuse of evolving know-how to curtail human rights, shrink civic house, and goal rights activists.
“Digital house shouldn’t be impartial house. On the ranges of its bodily structure, regulation and use, completely different teams exert their pursuits over it,” David Kaye, Michel Forst and Clément Voule mentioned.
“The rules of worldwide human rights regulation, nevertheless, must be on the centre of its growth,” they emphasised.
In conclusion, they reaffirmed that human rights must be on the forefront of concerns concerning the current and way forward for know-how and the web.
Impartial specialists
The Particular Rapporteurs are unbiased human rights specialists, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as a part of its Particular Procedures.
They’re mandated to watch and report on particular thematic points or nation conditions and work on a voluntary foundation. They serve of their particular person capability.
They don’t seem to be UN workers and don’t obtain a wage.
