The UN chief affirmed that democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights underpin freedom, promote sustainable development and protect the dignity of every person.
“On International Day of Democracy, we celebrate its promise to society – and recognize the many threats that democracy faces in this time of tension and unrest,” he said.
Shrinking citizen involvement
Mr Guterres drew attention to the alarming trend of shrinking public space. Misinformation and disinformation are major concerns, he warned, noting that they “poison public debate, polarize communities and erode trust in institutions.”
The theme of this year’s International Day, ‘Empowering the Next Generation’, highlights the crucial role of children and young people in safeguarding and promoting democracy, both today and in the future.
The Secretary-General emphasized that simply listening to young voices is not enough.
Invest in the youth
“We must support them with huge investments in education, skills building and lifelong learning, and we must protect human rights and promote gender equality,” he said.
In conclusion, the UN chief called for unity between generations and urged collective efforts to build a more just and equitable world for all.
The International Day of Democracy, commemorated annually on September 15, is an opportunity to assess the state of democracy worldwide.
It was established in 2007 by the UN General Assembly, which reaffirmed that 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 life.
Protect democracy in the digital space
Also on Friday, independent UN-appointed human rights experts highlighted the link between the digital world and fundamental democratic rights, urging states to ensure they are protected in cyberspace.
Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression, the situation of rights defenders and freedom of peaceful assembly warned against the misuse of developing technology to restrict human rights, shrink citizen space and attack rights defenders.
“The digital space is not a neutral space. At the level of physical architecture, regulation and use, different groups exert their interests on it,” said David Kaye, Michel Forst and Clément Voule.
“However, the principles of international human rights law must be central to its development,” they stressed.
In conclusion, they reaffirmed that human rights must be at the forefront of considerations regarding the present and future of technology and the Internet.
Independent experts
The Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as part of its Special Procedures.
They are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations, and work on a voluntary basis. They serve in their individual capacities.
They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.