Democracy plays an important role in the world’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, said the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday.
Guterres remarks came as the world marked the annual International Day of Democracy, a day set aside to review the state of democracy globally.
The U.N. chief underlined the importance of democracy for ensuring free flow of information, participation in decision-making and accountability for the response to COVID-19.
“Yet since the beginning of the crisis, we have seen the emergency used in a range of countries to restrict democratic processes and civic space,” he said.
“This is especially dangerous in places where democracy’s roots are shallow and institutional checks and balances are weak,” he added.
Guterres urged governments to do more to listen to people demanding change, open new channels for dialogue and respect freedom of peaceful assembly.
“On this International Day of Democracy, let us seize this pivotal moment to build a more equal, inclusive and sustainable world, with full respect for human rights,” he urged.
The International Day was established in 2007 by the UN General Assembly, which reaffirmed that democracy was a universal value based on the freely-expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems, and their full participation in all aspects of life.
