Appendix II: Universal Declaration on Democracy
| Published date | 01 March 2000 |
| Date | 01 March 2000 |
| DOI | 10.1177/092405190001800110 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Appendix II: Universal Declaration on Democracy
Declaration adopted without a vote" by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 161st
session (Cairo, 16 September 1997)
The Inter-Parliamentary Council,
Reaffirmingthe Inter-Parliamentary Union's commitment to peace and development and
convinced that the strengthening
of
the democratisation process and representative
institutions will greatly contribute to attaining this goal,
Reaffirming also the calling and commitment
of
the Inter-Parliamentary Union to
promoting democracy and the establishment
of
pluralistic systems
of
representative
government in the world, and wishing to strengthen its sustained and multiform action in
this field,
Recalling that each State has the sovereign right, freely to choose and develop, in
accordance with the will
of
its people, its own political, social, economic and cultural
systems without interference by other States in strict conformity with the United Nations
Charter,
Recalling also the Universal Declaration
of
Human Rights adopted on 10 December
1948, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted on 16 December
1966, the International Convention on the Elimination
of
All Forms
of
Racial
Discrimination adopted on 21 December 1965 and the Convention on the Elimination
of
All Forms
of
Discrimination Against Women adopted on 18 December 1979,
Recalling further the Declaration on Criteria
for
Free
and
Fair Elections which it
adopted in March 1994 and in which it confirmed that in any State the authority
of
the
government can derive only from the will
of
the people as expressed in genuine, free and
fair elections,
Referring to the Agenda
for
Democratisation presented on 20 December 1996 by the
UN Secretary-General to the 51st session
of
the United Nations General Assembly,
Adopts the following
Universal
Declaration on
Democracy
and urges Governments
and Parliaments throughout the world to be guided by its content:
First
Part
-
The
Principles
of
Democracy
1. Democracy is a universally recognised ideal as well as a goal, which is based on
common values shared by peoples throughout the world community irrespective
of
cultural, political, social and economic differences. It is thus a basic right
of
citizenship to be exercised under conditions
of
freedom, equality, transparency and
responsibility, with due respect for the plurality
of
views, and in the interest
of
the
polity.
2. Democracy is both an ideal to be pursued and a mode
of
government to be applied
according to modalities which reflect the diversity
of
experiences and cultural
particularities without derogating from internationally recognised principles, norms and
standards. It is thus a constantly perfected and always perfectible state or condition
• After the Declaration was adopted, the delegation of China expressed reservations to the text.
127
To continue reading
Request your trial