Ovi Magazine : International Day of Democracy 2012 by The Ovi Team

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International Day of Democracy 2012
by The Ovi Team
2012-09-15 10:24:20

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The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world. Democracy is as much a process as a goal, and only with the full participation of and support by the international community, national governing bodies, civil society and individuals, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.

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The values of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are essential elements of democracy. In turn, democracy provides the natural environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights. These values are embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and further developed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which enshrines a host of political rights and civil liberties underpinning meaningful democracies.

The link between democracy and human rights is captured in article 21(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”

The rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and subsequent human rights instruments covering group rights (e.g. indigenous peoples, minorities, people with disabilities) are equally essential for democracy as they ensure an equitable distribution of wealth, and equality and equity in respect of access to civil and political rights.

2012 Theme: Democracy Education

Democracy is a universal value based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives.

While democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy. Activities carried out by the United Nations in support of efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate democracy are undertaken in accordance with the UN Charter, and only at the specific request of the Member States concerned.

The UN General Assembly, in resolution A/62/7 (2007) encouraged Governments to strengthen national programmes devoted to the promotion and consolidation of democracy, and also decided that 15 September of each year should be observed as the International Day of Democracy.

The subject of this year's theme -- democracy education -- is essential for the long-term success of democracy. All citizens in all nations need to fully understand their rights and responsibilities, especially in countries that have recently transitioned to more democratic societies. Questions such as, “Why should I vote?”, “How can I influence my leaders?” “What can I reasonably expect from my elected officials?” or “What are my constitutional rights?” need to be addressed through civic institutions, in the free press and in classrooms. It is only with educated citizens that a sustainable culture of democracy can emerge.

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Emanuel Paparella	2012-09-15 16:09:35
Indeed, it is clear from the above idealistic declarations to which all in the Ovi team subscribe that the fertilizers of Democracy are liberty, education, free speech. Plato was certainly right when he suggested that without an educated electorate democracy become ineffectual and no longer appears desirable and harmonious; it becomes the rule of the mob. However there is a notion that may be implied but is not overtly mentioned in the above: the notion that human rights are inalienable and as such they are inherent within human nature, every individual has them from the moment he/she is born from the mere fact that he/she is a human being, or even a potential human being. Another way of expressing the same notion is that those rights are not granted by anyone or any government or super-government (EU, US, UN, etc.), not even by a universal declaration by the same, but are in fact bestowed by one’s Creator and cannot, at least in principle, be either given or violated by any power on earth. When they are not so founded the tendency is for the government, nobles oblige, to assume that prerogative and quite often discriminate in who gets what rights or who is deprived of them; then we end up with the notion that some people are more equal than others, the bankers are more equal than the poor; or with the notion that free speech can be countered, when found offensive, with violence and coercion, or the notion that culture alone (humanism, for example, as important as that is) is enough to create a civilized and democratic society. What is being suggested here is that the very notion of universal human rights may have to be reformulated and built on more solid foundations, for mere egalitarianism does not necessarely translate into democracy. As mentioned before, Socrates was ultimately condemned and executed "democratically" by voting on it. Plato insists in the Apology that justice is not a matter of counting votes.