Third Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy, "Building Democracy for Peace, Development, and Human Rights"

WORKSHOP REPORTS: Human Rights

Challenges to Political Participation: Linking Human Rights and Democracy
Organizers: Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) – South Africa Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights – Russia	Moderators: Lyn Chiwandamira – South Africa Yuri Dzhibladze – Russia Rapporteurs: Lyn Chiwandamira – South Africa Zanethemba Mkalipi – South Africa

A diverse group of presenters with experience in public participation programs at a number of levels presented their views on the challenges to political participation globally, especially with regard to marginalized, excluded, and vulnerable groups. Their presentations included practical strategies to address these issues. Clearly stimulated by the input of the presenters, the other participants responded by sharing their own experiences, challenges, and strategies for addressing these issues in their countries.

Three key areas of participation were addressed by the presenters:

participation of women and youth;
participation as a basic human right; and
participation in the media and NGO sectors.

Participation of Women and Youth Challenge:
Low participation of women and youth can be attributed to factors such as cultural and religious practices, patriarchy, socialization into gender-specific roles, and ageism, as well as discriminatory laws or the ineffective implementation of laws promoting equality for all.

Recommendations:

Advocate for affirmative action and quota systems to address systemic discrimination against women and youth.
Promote equality by reforming constitutional and electoral laws to include the needs of women and youth in keeping with existing International Human Rights Instruments (UNUDHR, CEDAW, CRC, etc.).
Establish NGOs and CBOs dedicated to the rights of women and youth.
Develop leadership training strategies for women and youth.
Lobby government and civil society to ensure equal access to enhance the economic power of women and young people and to empower them to participate politically.

Participation as a Basic Human Right Challenge:
Conflict and post-conflict contexts are often characterized by displacement of people, xenophobic tendencies, and religious discrimination to mention but a few such consequences. The denial of basic human rights, such as the right to citizenship, thus makes meaningful participation impossible. In addition, when elections take place in conditions of violence, they often lead to the under-participation of certain groups.

Recommendations:

One presenter in the workshop pointed to the changing nature of human rights approaches around the world and the need to devise strategies that go beyond the legalistic approach. However, participants were cautioned that, unlike the legalistic approach, this would not provide immediate remedies, but would require ongoing engagement.
One strategy recommended is to focus on one issue at a time, which can be illustrated by the story of the little girl who walked along the beach throwing starfish back into the sea. When a fisherman asked her what she was doing, she said she was saving them. The hardened old man pointed out that she will never be able to save them all, and asked, “so why bother”? As she threw the one in her hand back into the sea she said, “but I will be able to save this one.”

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