Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Cairo, 16 September 1997
N° 6

The Inter-Parliamentary Council, the governing body of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) - the world organisation of parliaments - today adopted by acclamation a Universal Declaration on Democracy.

The three-part Declaration, dealing with the principles of democracy, the exercise of democratic government and the international dimension of democracy, was prepared over the last year by international experts and the IPU, and was finalised during the 98th Inter-Parliamentary Conference session in Cairo. It is considered as the first comprehensive definition of democracy, and the Council urged governments and parliaments world-wide to be guided by its content.

The Declaration was adopted without a vote by representatives of the national parliaments taking part in the Council session. The delegation of China expressed its reservation on the text.

"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," the Declaration says.

"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." Democracy is the "only political system that has the capacity for self-correction", the Declaration says.

Democracy is the "best way" of achieving people's fundamental rights, social justice, economic and social development, and a climate for international peace.

Democracy means the "right of everyone to take part in the management of public affairs", and therefore requires the existence of representative parliaments. And a "key element" of the exercise of democracy is the holding of free and fair elections, it states.

Democracy also "goes hand in hand" with an effective, honest and transparent government, as well as public accountability of the government's management of public affairs and a "sense of ethics".

"Accountability entails a public right of access to information about the activities of government, the right to petition government and to seek redress through impartial administrative and judicial mechanisms."

A democratic society must remove all "obstacles" to the full participation of individuals in democratic processes, such as ignorance, intolerance, apathy, and discriminatory measures based on social, cultural, religious or racial grounds, or on gender, the Declaration says, noting in particular: "The achievement of democracy presupposes a genuine partnership between men and men in the conduct of public affairs."

The Declaration states that "While the existence of an active civil society is an essential element of democracy, the capacity and willingness of individuals to participate in democratic processes and make governance choices cannot be taken for granted. It is therefore necessary to develop conditions conducive to the genuine exercise of participatory rights, while also eliminating obstacles that prevent, hinder or inhibit this exercise."

Democracy also means a "favourable economic environment", the Declaration says. And in its development efforts, "society must be committed to satisfying the basic economic needs of the most disadvantaged, thus ensuring their full integration in the democratic process".

Moreover, "The state of democracy presupposes freedom of opinion and expression," and "this right implies freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

The Declaration also deals with the international dimension of democracy, stating that "Democracy must also be recognised as an international principle" and "must be applied to the international management of issues of global interest".

To preserve international democracy, the Declaration says that States must abide by international law, refrain from the use of force or other conduct that threatens the sovereignty of other countries, and resolve differences by peaceful means.

In adopting the Declaration, the Council recalled the IPU's commitment to promoting democracy and the establishment of pluralistic systems of representative government in the world. The Council said the Declaration on Democracy would strengthen the IPU's action in this field, which already includes a Declaration on Criteria for Free and Fair Elections that was adopted in 1994 and has become an international yardstick in its domain.