Democracy, parliaments and human rights
‘’As an ideal, democracy aims essentially to preserve and promote the dignity and fundamental rights of the individual, to achieve social justice, foster the economic and social development of the community, strengthen the cohesion of society and enhance national tranquillity, as well as to create a climate that is favorable for international peace. As a form of government, democracy is the best way of achieving these objectives: it is also the only political system that has the capacity for self-correction.’’ Inter-Parliamentary Union, Universal Declaration on Democracy, Cairo, September 1997, paragraph 3
Democracy today is not a mere set of procedural rules for the political power exercise, but a way of preserving and promoting the dignity of the person. In the Universal Declaration on Democracy adopted in 1997, democracy and human rights are inseparable.
