Citizens are the people who keep democracy alive. One way to contribute to greater democracy is therefore to provide support to people who want to change things and have an influence. These people may exist within the government, in trade and industry or in the civil society. They become stronger with the right level of support. Institutions, such as the judicial system, must also be changed.
In many countries, such as Peru, Bolivia and Mozambique, Sida has contributed to building up government ombudsman offices, which detail attacks against human rights and seek redress for people who have been subjected to persecution.
Great courage required
Defenders of human rights often live dangerously because they criticize governments’ policies and actions. They are the victims of death threats, kidnappings and arbitrary detention – and physical attacks including sexual violence, torture and murder. They are controlled and monitored.
The UN’s General Assembly approved a declaration in 1998 to protect people who work for human rights. They should have the right to perform their operations freely and without threats from authorities or others. The EU, the Council of Europe and the African Union have also presented declarations to increase protection for those who defend human rights.
Alternative powerful factors and important partners
Almost half of Sida’s development assistance for democracy and human rights goes to Swedish, international, regional and local organizations that are part of the civil society. These are cultural workers, women’s rights organizations, trade union representatives, environmental movements, youth networks, lawyer associations and others that in various ways work to defend democratic values and human rights. These represent important partners for Sida, particularly in non-democratic countries.
The civil society drives issues that are important to poor people. These include education in human rights, legal advice and opinion forming.
The civil society can be a strong power with opportunities to influence political processes and decisions. When countries become a democracy, areas of the civil society have often been driving that development for a considerable time.
Organizations’ operations also offer possibilities for members to test democracy in practice – to express their own opinions and to respect others’, make decisions and drive common interests.
Freedom of assembly, freedom of association and freedom of expression are some of the requirements in establishing a democry.
