Democracy and Human Rights: A Pathway to Peace and Development

                                 This post is a summary of the book with the title above published at https://um.fi/documents/35732/48132/democracy_and_human_rights_a_pathway_to_peace_and_development.pdf/0b5b0d3a-a251-92a7-8113-14ca88603d01?t=1560450252015. And an article published at  https://www.weduglobal.org/wcontent/uploads/2016/02/SUU_KYI_CULTURE_OF_PEACE_AS08.pdf

                       The most important and best known document which concerns human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948. The declaration has led to the conclusion of a host of international human rights agreements. Its core message is that human rights are inherent to all people and neither the state nor any other can take them away from an individual. The UDHR covers the principal human rights: the civil and political rights and so-called economic, cultural and social rights. Civil rights safeguard all persons their personal sphere of freedom, in which the public authorities may not interfere. Political rights ensure individuals the right of participation in voluntary political and social activities. The principle of the universality and integral nature of human rights was confirmed in the Human Rights World Conference in Vienna in 1993. A number of countries treat their citizens unequally. Freedom of speech, for example, may be restricted or some are prevented from participating in elections. It is typical of undemocratic systems to suppress the activities of NGOs, to restrict the freedom of the press and to conduct unfair elections. It may thus be very hard to exercise one's power of influence in society. Democracy lays a foundation for social stability and equilibrium. Stable and peaceful conditions, for their part, consitute a prerequisite for economic growth and development. Free elections and other democratic ways of action do not, however, as such, guarantee an improving economy. For the developing countries to manage to break out of the poverty trap, more equitable world trade and support from rich nations are required. Elections represent a vital part of the democratisation process of a country. Fair and genuinely elections give citizens the chance to influence the future of their country and area of residence. In the developing countries. outside elections observers are often used to ensure fair elections. The U.N. and its special development agencies represent a significant channel of development cooperation assistance. The promotion of human rights and democracy plays a major role in the operation of the U.N. system. According to the U.N. Development Programme, U.N.D.P., respect for human rights and promotion of good governance are essentially instrumental to development. Respect for individuals' human rights is traditional practice of the E.U., and democracy is an integral part of their decision-making procedures. All framework agreements related to development cooperation made by the E.U. include a statement which requires compliance with the principles of democracy, human rights and good governance. Cooperation can be suspended in case of a grave infringiment of the principles of the statement. The E.U. can also influence the developing countries' human rights policies through trade policy measures, since it is possible to take human rights issues into account when customs relief is granted to the developing countries by the E.U. Such benefits can be cancelled on account of continuing and flagrant human rights violations.                                                                                                                               The question of empowerment is central to both culture and development. It decides who has the means of imposing on a nation or society their view of what constitutes culture and development and who determines what practical measures can be taken. The more totalitarian a system the more power will be concentrated in the hands of the ruling elite and the more culture and development will be used to serve narrow interests. Culture thus is dynamic and broad. But when it is bent to serve narrow interests it become static and its exclusive aspects come to the fore and it assumes coercive overtones. The "national culture" can become a bizarre graft of selected historical incidents and distorted values intended to justify the actions of those in power. Many authoritarian governments wish to appear in the forefront of modern progress but are reluctant to institute genuine change. It is precisely because of the cultural diversity of the world that it is necessary for different nations and peoples to agree on those basic human values which will act as a unifying factor. In fact the values that democracy and human rights seek to promote can be found in many cultures. Human  beings the world over need freedom and security that they may be able to realize their full potential. Support for the desirability of strong government and dictatorship can also be found in all cultures. The desire to dominate and the tendency to adulate the powerful are also common human traits arising out of a desire for security. A nation may choose a system that leaves the protection of the freedom and security of the many dependent on the inclinations of the empowered few; or it may choose institutions and practices that will suffucuently empower individuals and organizations to protect their own freedom and security. The choice will decide how far a nation will progress along the road to human development. Governments must find news ways of enabling their people to participate more in government and allow them much greater influence on the decisions that affect their lives. Unless this is done, the tide of people rising aspirations will inevitably clash with inflexible systems, leading to anarchy. A rapid democratic transition and a strengthening of the institutions of civil society are the only appropriate responses. The basic requirement of a genuine democracy is that the people should be empowered to be able to participate in the governance of their country. Without this democratic institutions will be but empty shells incapable of reflecting the aspirations of the people and unable to withstand the encroachment of authoritarianism.