Donnerstag, 28.03.2024 23:21 Uhr

The International Day of Democracy

Verantwortlicher Autor: Carlo Marino Rome, 15.09.2020, 18:28 Uhr
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Rome [ENA] The Covid-19 pandemic has been a decisive experience of all humanity, perhaps the biggest since the era of globalization began. The world saw infections and fatalities grow across countries and continents in the first half of 2020 and it continues to be both disruptive and destabilizing. For some time, the pain of losing lives that could not be mourned in person took precedence.

However, the effects of the pandemic and their implications for societies are more far-reaching and will last well into the coming decade. It’s more and more important to make sense of the magnitude of the crisis, and to move beyond mitigating the impact to developing concepts and models for the time “after the pandemic.” As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put democracies to their biggest test in decades, people are increasingly appreciating the vital importance of participating in societies where their voices and concerns are heard, said the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 15th September International Day of Democracy.

In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly resolved to observe 15 September as the International Day of Democracy. Citizens across the OSCE region are calling for access to democratic participation: through genuine elections and access to the decision-making process, through respect for their rights and freedoms, and through their government’s accordance with the rule of law, which includes the checks and balances on which all true democracies are based. The emergency measures put in place by many countries in response to the pandemic have had a significant impact on parliaments, courts and elections, as well as the ability of civil society organizations to play their essential role as watchdogs of democracy.

National leaders need to take responsibility for a transparent response to the pandemic that builds more effective, accountable and inclusive democracies. Parliaments and political parties need to be ground-breaking in finding ways to engage citizens and in particular young people, in order to bridge the gap between decision-makers and the general public. Digital technology has already started to enhance the work of national parliaments across the OSCE region, allowing them to make laws efficiently and monitor government action, while continuing to safeguard political pluralism. At the same time, governments need to take urgent steps to fight the inequalities and discrimination that have intensified during the pandemic.

The negative impact of COVID-19 on women can be seen both from the rise of violence against women across the OSCE region and in the increase in unemployment that has hit female workers for the most . Scapegoating and maltreatment of minorities has increased the need for targeted action to neutralise hatred in which all officials, from high-ranking politicians through to law enforcement officers, play their role in building tolerant societies.

The development of policies and legislation must therefore respect the diversity in all societies, based on public consultation. A transparent and accountable law-making process supports anti-corruption efforts, reinforces good governance, and provides access to justice for all. The great challenge is protecting the health and safety of the population while ensuring that democratic institutions can continue working. Countries have to face a resurgent virus at the same time as they need to ensure that all democratic checks and balances are restored.

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