Amal
18-06-2007, 06:27 PM
Amman Center for Human Rights Studies now publishes the report "Elections in the Arab World 2006: a Human Rights Evaluation". It is the first time that elections in Arab countries have been systematically and comparatively analyzed from a human rights perspective.
The report, prepared by the researchers Elena Moroni and Sofie Bille from the ACHRS International Relations Unit, analyzes the parliamentary elections that have taken place in 2006 in six Arab countries: Palestine, Yemen, Bahrain, Mauritania and the United Arab Emirates.
It also investigates the relationship between elections, democracy and human rights. The focus of the report is on investigating the level of compliance of such elections to international standards and human rights principles. In fact, it uses indicators as freedom of expression, association, movement, civil and political rights, women and youth participation as fundamental principles that define democratic elections.
The report is a result of some of the activities of the ACHRS regarding election monitoring. In May 2006, the Center established the Arab Election Network in the Arab World (ENAR). It seeks to work as an indigenous Arab alternative to foreign imposed codes of election monitoring, involving local independent NGO's in the electoral processes.
In particular, the network was established in order to monitor the electoral processes in the Arab countries, with special focus on the performance of governments, media and political parties and to publish detailed reports on the neutrality and fairness of the elections.
Throughout the report it is clear that elections alone are not a sign of fulfillment of human rights in itself. Political systems claiming adherence to democratic principles must manifest and aspire towards the attainment of political, as well as social and economic, democracy.
Human rights can be used as indicators for evaluating democratic practices; there is, therefore, mutual dependence between these and democracy. The whole range of human rights can ideally be realized only in a democracy; but democracy does not always guarantee the protection and enforcement of human rights principles.
It is worth highlighting this important assumption: it is true that human rights need democracy, as it is equally true that democracy does not always guarantee their fulfillment.
Therefore, this report enquires whether the elections that have been held by the countries cited above can be taken as a genuine expression of democracy, and whether they have contributed to the improvement of the level of protection given to human rights principles.
At first, the report briefly introduces some principles of democracy and defines the meaning of democratic elections. Then, it moves to analyze each of the elections that have taken place, according to the indicators just cited above. It provides a general overview of the situation of elections in the Arab world and an insight on the situation of each of the six countries taken into account.
The outcome of this research highlights that elections should not be seen as an end, but as a means to promote democracy and human rights. It is thus not the number of elections held that is of importance, rather the process by which they take place and the following political situation that reflects a country's genuine wish for democracy.
The international community, hence, must evaluate if the election-outcome reflects the different intellectual, social, economic and political spectrum, or if it institute the control of an elite belonging to any of these groups. Political reform should not be measured in terms of how many elections are held, but by evaluating the human rights situation in the phase before the election, during the election and especially after the election.
Foreign countries have the responsibility to push for democracy, however, not merely by cutting aid as this often have the worst effects in the country in question. But by enlightening and giving priority to education, health, vulnerable groups, social and cultural reform, and not just pushing for periodical elections, which we have seen can be used as a façade.
The report, prepared by the researchers Elena Moroni and Sofie Bille from the ACHRS International Relations Unit, analyzes the parliamentary elections that have taken place in 2006 in six Arab countries: Palestine, Yemen, Bahrain, Mauritania and the United Arab Emirates.
It also investigates the relationship between elections, democracy and human rights. The focus of the report is on investigating the level of compliance of such elections to international standards and human rights principles. In fact, it uses indicators as freedom of expression, association, movement, civil and political rights, women and youth participation as fundamental principles that define democratic elections.
The report is a result of some of the activities of the ACHRS regarding election monitoring. In May 2006, the Center established the Arab Election Network in the Arab World (ENAR). It seeks to work as an indigenous Arab alternative to foreign imposed codes of election monitoring, involving local independent NGO's in the electoral processes.
In particular, the network was established in order to monitor the electoral processes in the Arab countries, with special focus on the performance of governments, media and political parties and to publish detailed reports on the neutrality and fairness of the elections.
Throughout the report it is clear that elections alone are not a sign of fulfillment of human rights in itself. Political systems claiming adherence to democratic principles must manifest and aspire towards the attainment of political, as well as social and economic, democracy.
Human rights can be used as indicators for evaluating democratic practices; there is, therefore, mutual dependence between these and democracy. The whole range of human rights can ideally be realized only in a democracy; but democracy does not always guarantee the protection and enforcement of human rights principles.
It is worth highlighting this important assumption: it is true that human rights need democracy, as it is equally true that democracy does not always guarantee their fulfillment.
Therefore, this report enquires whether the elections that have been held by the countries cited above can be taken as a genuine expression of democracy, and whether they have contributed to the improvement of the level of protection given to human rights principles.
At first, the report briefly introduces some principles of democracy and defines the meaning of democratic elections. Then, it moves to analyze each of the elections that have taken place, according to the indicators just cited above. It provides a general overview of the situation of elections in the Arab world and an insight on the situation of each of the six countries taken into account.
The outcome of this research highlights that elections should not be seen as an end, but as a means to promote democracy and human rights. It is thus not the number of elections held that is of importance, rather the process by which they take place and the following political situation that reflects a country's genuine wish for democracy.
The international community, hence, must evaluate if the election-outcome reflects the different intellectual, social, economic and political spectrum, or if it institute the control of an elite belonging to any of these groups. Political reform should not be measured in terms of how many elections are held, but by evaluating the human rights situation in the phase before the election, during the election and especially after the election.
Foreign countries have the responsibility to push for democracy, however, not merely by cutting aid as this often have the worst effects in the country in question. But by enlightening and giving priority to education, health, vulnerable groups, social and cultural reform, and not just pushing for periodical elections, which we have seen can be used as a façade.