The United Nations and democracy

Global Governance

Volumn 5, Issue 3, 1999, Pages 333-357

  Joyner, Christopher C ^a  

^a NONE

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EID: 0033241588     PISSN: 10752846     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1163/19426720-00503004     Document Type: Article

References (86)

1. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Agenda for Democratization, UN General Assembly, UN Doc. A/51/761 (20 December 1996), at Annex: Supplement to Reports on Democratization, p. 2. (Hereinafter cited as Agenda for Democratization)
2. UN General Assembly, Resolution A/RES/43/157 (8 December 1988). This resolution reaffirmed that the will of the people, expressed in periodic and genuine elections, shall be the basis of authority for government and that "the right of everyone to take part in the government of his or her country is a crucial factor in the effective enjoyment of a wide range of other human rights and fundamental freedoms, embracing political, economic, social, and cultural rights."
3. See UN Doc. A/43/538 (6 June 1988).
4. See the Managua Declaration, UN Doc. A/49/713 (6 July 1994), Annex I, and the conference's Plan of Action, Annex II of the document.
5. See UN General Assembly, Progress Review and Recommendations, Adopted by the Third International Conference of the New or Restored Democracies on Democracy and Development Held at Bucharest from 2-4 September 1997, UN Doc. A/52/334, attached as Appendix to Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, UN Doc. A/52/334 (11 September 1997), pp. 3-15. (Hereinafter cited as Democracy Progress Review and Recommendations)
6. See UN General Assembly, Progress Review and Recommendations, Adopted by the Third International Conference of the New or Restored Democracies on Democracy and Development Held at Bucharest from 2-4 September 1997, UN Doc. A/52/334, attached as Appendix to Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, UN Doc. A/52/334 (11 September 1997), pp. 3-15. (Hereinafter cited as Democracy Progress Review and Recommendations)
7. Report of the Secretary-General: Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, fifty-third session, UN Doc. A/53/554 (29 October 1998). (Hereinafter cited as 1998 Report of the Secretary-General) In 1999, the First Conference of the Americas on New or Restored Democracies convened in Costa Rica, organized by Programa Centroamericano para la Sostenibilidad Democrática along with the UN University of Peace. 7998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 12.
8. Report of the Secretary-General: Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, fifty-third session, UN Doc. A/53/554 (29 October 1998). (Hereinafter cited as 1998 Report of the Secretary-General) In 1999, the First Conference of the Americas on New or Restored Democracies convened in Costa Rica, organized by Programa Centroamericano para la Sostenibilidad Democrática along with the UN University of Peace. 7998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 12.
9. See UN General Assembly, Resolution A/RES/49/30 (7 December 1994).
10. Report of the Secretary-General: Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, UN Doc. A/50/332 and Corr. 1 (7 August 1995). (Hereinafter cited as 7995 Report of the Secretary-General)
11. UN General Assembly, Resolution A/RES/50/133 (20 December 1995).
12. Report of the Secretary-General: Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, UN Doc. A/51/512 (18 October 1996). (Hereinafter cited as 1996 Report of the Secretary-General)
13. UN General Assembly, Resolution A/RES/51/31 (6 December 1996).
14. UN General Assembly, Resolution A/RES/52/18 (21 November 1997).
15. Report of the Secretary-General: Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, UN Doc. A/52/513 (21 October 1997). (Hereinafter cited as 1997 Report of the Secretary-General)
16. See generally 1998 Report of the Secretary-General.
17. Agenda for Democratization, p. 6; 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 3.
18. Agenda for Democratization, p. 6; 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 3.
19. Ibid.
20. Done 26 June 1945, 59 Stat. 1031, T.S. No. 993, 3 Bevans 1153, entered into force 24 October 1945.
21. Agenda for Democratization, p. 7.
22. UN Charter, preamble.
23. Ibid., Article 1, par. 2, and Article 55.
24. Ibid., Article 1, par. 3, and Article 55.
25. Ibid., Article 2, par. 1.
26. Done 10 December 1948, UN General Assembly, Resolution 217 (III 1948), UN Doc. A/810, 71 (1948).
27. Ibid., Article 21, par. 1.
28. Ibid., Article 21, par. 3.
29. Ibid., Article 1.
30. Ibid., Article 3.
31. With respect to these rights, the most recent UN General Assembly resolution dealing with democracy asserts in its first preambular paragraph that "the General Assembly, bearing in mind the indissoluble links between the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human rights and the foundations of any democratic society." UN General Assembly, Resolution A/RES/52/18 (15 January 1998).
32. UN General Assembly, Resolution 1514 (XV), 15 GAOR, Supp. 16, UN Doc. A/4684, p. 66 (1960).
33. Agenda for Democratization, p. 7.
34. See Christopher C. Joyner, "U.N. General Assembly and International Law: Rethinking the Contemporary Dynamics of Norm-Creation," California Western International Law Journal 11, no. 3 (summer 1981): 445-478.
35. UN General Assembly, Resolution 1514 (XV), Article 2.
36. Ibid., Article 5.
37. Most notably in this regard have been the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, done 16 December 1966, 999 U.N.T.S. 171, entered into force 23 March 1976, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, done 16 December 1966, 993 U.N.T.S. 3, entered into force 3 January 1976.
38. Democracy Progress Review and Recommendations, p. 5.
39. Ibid.
40. Ibid., p. 6.
41. Ibid., p. 7.
42. Ibid., p. 8.
43. Ibid., p. 10.
44. See Agenda for Development, UN Doc. A/48/935 (1993).
45. This point was reinforced by the follow-up mechanism for the Third International Conference of New or Restored Democracies on Democracy and Development and its decision to create a special website on democracy and governance within the UN Development Programme's home page. See "Democratization and Governance: International Conferences on New or Restored Democracies" at .
46. Report of the Secretary-General, UN Doc. S/25124 (24 January 1993); UN Doc. S/25913 (10 June 1993).
47. Report of the Secretary-General, UN Doc. S/25124 (24 January 1993); UN Doc. S/25913 (10 June 1993).
48. Report of the Secretary-General: Support by the United Nations System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, UN Doc. A/50/332 (7 August 1995), par. 19, 21.
49. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 5.
50. Ibid., pp. 5-6.
51. See 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 6; Agenda for Democratization, p. 2.
52. See 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 6; Agenda for Democratization, p. 2.
53. See 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, pp. 6-7.
54. Often problems are revealed by a UN needs assessment mission, among them the lack of material resources to organize elections; lack of skilled human resources to run elections; lack of voter identification documents; high level of illiteracy; lack of reliable electoral register; lack of logistical and communications infrastructure. See 1995 Report of the Secretary-General, par. 45.
55. 1995 Report of the Secretary-General, par. 44.
56. Ibid., par. 44.
57. The UN has organized and conducted elections in only one country, Cambodia, but is also preparing to do so in Croatia and Western Sahara. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 344.
58. See Report of the Secretary-General, UN Doc. S/25913 (10 June 1993).
59. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 34.
60. 1995 Report of the Secretary-General, par. 57.
61. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 34.
62. 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 6.
63. 1995 Report of the Secretary-General, par. 65.
64. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 34.
65. Ibid.
66. 1995 Report of the Secretary-General, par. 76.
67. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 34.
68. Ibid., p. 27.
69. Ibid., p. 29.
70. See UN General Assembly, Resolution 48/131 (20 December 1993).
71. 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, pp. 6-7.
72. These seminars are organized by Department of Public Information, in co-operation with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) supported by the UNDP. Seminars have been held for African, Asian, Latin American and Caribbean, Arab, and Central and Eastern European media. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 8.
73. 1998 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 7.
74. Ibid., p. 4. See the discussion on human rights in the report.
75. Ibid., pp. 8-11.
76. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 10.
77. Agenda for Democratization, p. 3.
78. 1996 Report of the Secretary-General, p. 3.
79. Agenda for Democratization, p. 3.
80. Ibid., p. 4.
81. Ibid., p. 5.
82. 1997 Report of the Secretary-General, pp. 4-7.
83. Agenda for Democratization, p. 4.
84. Ibid., p. 5.
85. See, for example, UN press release, "General Assembly Encourages Active Follow Up to Bucharest Conference of New, Restored Democracies," UN Doc. GA/9512, 67th GA Plenary Meeting (23 November 1998).
86. Agenda for Democratization, pp. 5-6.