This post is a summary of three articles. The first with the title above, published http://www.parliamentarystrengthening.org/. The second, with the title of, "Democratic rights and freedoms." Published at http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/. The third with the title of," Promoting human rights and democratic citizenship." Published at https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp.
The greatest protection of human rights emanates from a democratic framework grounded in the rule of law. A functional democracy that accomodates diversity is increasingly becoming the best bet against the concentration of power in the hands of a few and the abuse that inevitably results from it. Yet the challenge today is to deepen this democracy from just its basic electoral form into a common enterprise between people and government. While the level of democracy in differents parts of the world may vary, the human rights framework offers the key means to move from basic electoral democracy to the fully-fledged version. Democracy is premised on the recognition and protection of people`s right to have a say in all decision making processes. The exercise of this political right requires a guarantee of crucial freedoms, to express one`s thoughts and opinion without fear, to seek and receive information. The purpose of democracy like that of human rights protection is to uphold the dignity of every individual and to ensure that the voices of the weakest are also heard. Its core values - freedom, equality, fraternity, accomodation of diversity and the assurance of justice, underpin the norms of human rights as well. Parliamentaries have the responsibility to voice the aspirations of the people and to always act in their interests. The human rights lens equips them to set, examine and evaluate the policies and actions of the executive to see they meet the criteria of good governance and the outcomes stand the test of equity and justice. Not only should human rights be realized for their own sake, these rights offer them a framework to entrench democracy in its fullest form.
The government should encourages people to learn about and participate in democratic institutions. Key democratic principles and practices include responsible government; the separation of powers; the observance of constitutional safequards; the rule of law; transparent criminal justice system; equitably resourced and respected opposition parties; and a free media. Strong democratic institutions are complemented by a number of specific legal protections for human rights. Human rights are inherent, inalienable, indivisible and universal. They are the birthright of all people and can not be lost or taken away. They are all of equal importance and apply to all people whatever their race, gender, language, religion, political opinion, national or social origin, age, property or other status. Observance of human rights benefits the security and prosperity of all nations and individuals. Government policies should be implemented by a professional and apolitical public service. Citizens have the right to be given reasons for administrative decisions made about them by government officials, and to have those decisions independently reviewed through tribunal system and/or the courts. There are also ombudsmen and commissions that can inquire decisions and allegations of misconduct.
Some professionals are pillars in a human rights` society: teachers, journalists, lawyers, social workers, doctors and other health personnel, military and police officers, to mention but a few. Their attitudes, knowledge and competence influence many others. It is of crucial that they are educated about human rights and understand their true meaning. The law and the justice system are crucial tools for the protection of human rights, but not the only aspect. Human rights have an ethical dimension which is broader than the law. We are aiming at a universal human rights culture in which mutual understanding, tolerance, peace, justice reach all sectors of society in a process of life-long learning. The school system is not the only instrument for spreading awareness about human rights. Messages from leaders are also highly influential. Music and films artists who have spoken out against repression and injustices should be applauded. Journalists as individuals usually do value human rights, and in particular, of course, freedom of expression, which in turns is a protection of their freedom. This poses a problem. How do we ensure that the media do indeed spread awareness of human rights, in a situation where media are independent? With this approach we have to accept that negative coverage does occur and we have to criticize such tendencies. One important counter weight is the civil society. NGOs play an important role in promoting human rights values today, but again the best support for positive activities and attitudes is to secure that the NGOs can operate freely.
