Activating ‘citizen mode’, to support democracy from the ground up
Against a backdrop of growing misinformation, political polarization, and a breakdown in trust between citizens and those who govern them, the UN is promoting the direct participation of citizens in decisions that affect them and their communities, and rebuild trust in democracy.
The right of citizens to take part in democratic processes has been enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for 75 years, but even in nations with established democracies, it can never be taken for granted.
In recent years, the UN has increasingly focused on finding ways to restore frayed links between people and their governments by encouraging greater involvement of citizens in decision-making and policy discussions.
Civil society organizations (CSOs), in collaboration with the UN, are finding that citizen’s assemblies are a highly effective way of bringing together diverse members of local communities to work on policies and projects that directly affect them.
In May, Aleida Ferreyra, Global Lead for Democratic Institutions and Processes at the UN Development Programme, and representatives of three CSOs – Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programs at Yiaga Africa; Silvia Cervellini, the co-founder of Delibera Brasil; and Iain Walker; the Executive Director of the newDemocracy Foundation – discussed the role of civil society in well-functioning democracies, during the recording of an SDG Roundtable video, moderated by Annemarie Hou, Executive-Director of UN Partnerships.
Support for civil society and human rights at the UN
2023 marks 75 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This landmark offers solutions to many of today’s most pressing challenges and is a roadmap to a common future of dignity, freedom, and justice for all.
In a video released by his Office in May, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called for “a vibrant and open civic space for effective and transparent governance and institution building, to achieve progress on sustainable development, prevention, and peacebuilding”.
Yiaga Africa works to increase the engagement of young people in the democratic process and, with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), launched #SixtyPercentOfUs in May 2022, a project aimed at mobilizing at least 60 per cent youth voter registration.
Caption: Villagers in Salima District, Malawi, take part in a UN-supported citizen’s assembly. Credit: newDemocracy/Edwin Msewa (file)
The newDemocracy Foundation, which, with UNDEF funding, has helped countries bring underserved communities into the political system, and produced a handbook on so-called “democracy beyond elections”, explaining how the principles of representation and deliberation can be applied to nations at different levels of development.
Caption: Citizens in Fortaleza, Brazil, take part in a UN-supported citizen’s assembly. Credit: Delibera Brasil
Delibera Brasil, which organizes UNDEF-backed citizen’s assemblies, enabling the residents of Brazilian cities to directly participate in policy making to address poverty and inequality.
