In recent years, many parliamentary groups have focused their discussions on the relationship between democracy and human rights. The Strategic Plan of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for the period 2013-2017 lists human rights and national and personal security as among the five areas of concern and programme planning. The two areas are vitally important in that they must always form the basis of meaningful democratic practice in any society, large or small, developed or developing. Democracy is a political and social process which
professes equality, equality before the law as well as gender and racial equality. Political processes such as elections prescribe the principle of “one-person-one-vote”. This principle shows that no matter where one belongs in
society, he or she will have only one vote to cast in a political or social contest. The principle also prescribes that the result of votes that have been cast to produce the winners and losers must be respected. It is on this basis that at the recently held 5th Youth Parliament in London, I advised the “Young Parliamentarians” that the strengths of the Commonwealth must always be based on democracy and equality. The reason why I advocate that democracy must
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be practised to give full meaning to society is that some individuals still fail to understand that in competing ideas for social order and development, one must accept defeat as a possible result. In a well-conducted vote for anything – a Bill tabled in Parliament, a motion moved in Parliament or other body, a recommendation made in any group setting – the expectation is that there will be winners and losers. The
The Secretary-General’s
The Secretary-General (right) with the then Speaker of the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly, Hon. Robin Adams, MLA, (centre) and Acting Administrator for the island, Mr Keith Young (left).