These are tense times. Climate change threatens billions of people around the world. Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is slowing. And 35 years after the end of the cold war, the world is reorganizing itself into opposing, heavily armed camps once more.
Ironically, we are more connected than ever. Multilateralism may seem to be in retreat, but global collaboration is still key in addressing climate change, conflict, trade disagreements, pandemics and other pressing challenges.
For those who grew up with limited political freedoms, democracy has always been a beacon. It is not just that democratic rights are a good thing per se. Democracy also offers the most plausible and compelling path to justice, peace and equitable development, both within nations and among them.
Democracy is under pressure, however. In many regions, socioeconomic progress has stalled, democratic institutions face a crisis of legitimacy and injustices persist. Populism and strongman politics are resurgent, while coups d’état have been back in the headlines. For the younger generations especially, the benefits of democracy have become less obvious.
So, what can we do? How do we strengthen our national democratic institutions so that they foster justice, peace and equitable development at home and abroad?
At the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global organization of parliaments, we see the United Nations as a vital part of this equation: a convener of governments, a forum for dialogue, a mechanism to reduce tension and misunderstanding and a trusted channel for the transfer of knowledge and expertise.
As the United Nations marks its eightieth anniversary, IPU sees its role as more important than ever. By connecting the work of the United Nations with the global parliamentary community, IPU helps bridge the gap between international commitments and their implementation at the national level.
From this vantage point, three priorities stand out.
Protecting dialogue, one of democracy’s greatest strengths
First, protect and promote the process of dialogue. One of the greatest strengths of democracy is its reliance on dialogue, with parliament at the centre of the discussion of competing ideas to arrive at a better outcome. Dialogue also builds trust and understanding, essential preconditions for peace.
Unfortunately, the quality of this dialogue is under assault, with hateful narratives and disinformation travelling fast across social media and the political space. While hate speech targets minorities, misleading content undermines effective action – on climate change, for example, or vaccines – while corroding trust in public institutions. At worst, these lies are killing people.
To strengthen our democratic national institutions, we must promote the process of dialogue. This entails investing in young politicians, opposition parties, media and civil society; building norms of respectful, evidence-based discussion; promoting the idea that dialogue is not a weakness but an essential condition for peace; and leading by example.
Building more inclusive institutions for stronger democracies
The second priority is to ensure fair and inclusive participation. Dialogue works best when everybody has a seat at the table. Fair political participation means that every voice counts and leads to meaningful influence. When everybody is represented, the political process produces the widest possible benefits, not just results for the political elite. While exclusion fuels political grievance, inclusion makes the system more legitimate, stable and resilient.
At a global level, the richest 10 per cent of people generate roughly half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, while the poorest suffer the heaviest impacts. Tax avoidance by multinational corporations deprives many developing nations of revenues for health and education. Billions still lack access to the Internet and other vital technologies. Meanwhile, some wealthier countries hesitate to finance climate adaptation overseas or to accept migrants displaced by crises.
Such injustices cannot be politically sustainable. At some point there will be a backlash. When institutions fail to deliver fair outcomes, they are fuelling mistrust and conflict. Social justice is the foundation of peace, prosperity and sustainability.
IPU is clear about the need for inclusion: we endeavour to expand the participation of women and youth, and – by working with all parliamentarians – we bring opposition voices into global dialogue. At the national level, more must be done to ensure that electoral systems translate votes fairly into seats, that minority voices are represented, including those of people with disabilities, and that transparency and accountability extend across the political system, including in relation to political donations.
Dialogue is not enough, democracy must deliver
The third and final priority is to support our democratic institutions in delivering through their functions. Dialogue and participation are vital, but democracies must also deliver. When governments fail to provide security, jobs, health, education and clean environments, faith in democracy erodes. Populism and military takeovers thrive.
IPU works every day to support parliaments with delivery. We help them to scrutinize their governments, connect with the work of the United Nations on sustainable development and peace and security, pass laws to implement the SDGs, and connect with the latest data and expertise.
As the United Nations goes through its own reforms, we must ensure that parliaments still have access to its vast technical expertise at a time when – in some countries – we are seeing an assault on science and knowledge itself. Such attacks are among the most serious threats to the achievement of the SDGs. It should not have to be said in the twenty-first century, but we need to protect truth, knowledge and science.
Political theory has long suggested that true democracies are unlikely to wage war against each other and the evidence seems to bear this out. By protecting and enhancing democratic institutions, we increase the chances of justice, peace and equitable development.
The International Day of Democracy, celebrated every year on 15 September thanks to the initiative of IPU, is a good time to take stock of democracy.
Yes, democracy is messy and imperfect, but if it encourages dialogue, inclusivity and delivery to improve people’s lives, it can only grow stronger.
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The UN Chronicle is not an official record. It is privileged to host senior United Nations officials as well as distinguished contributors from outside the United Nations system whose views are not necessarily those of the United Nations. Similarly, the boundaries and names shown, and the designations used, in maps or articles do not necessarily imply endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
