The International Day of Democracy is an opportunity to review the state of democracy around the world. Democracy can be achieved only with complete participation and support of the international community, national governing bodies, civil society and individuals.
Freedom, respect for Human Rights and the principle of holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are quintessential for a democracy. Democracy in turn provides a natural environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights. These values are embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and further developed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which enshrines a host of political rights and civil liberties underpinning meaningful democracies. Further, rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and subsequent human rights instruments covering group rights (e.g.indigenous peoples, minorities, people with disabilities) are equally important for democracy as they ensure equitable distribution of wealth, equality and equity in respect of access to civil and political rights.