As world leaders make their way back to their respective countries after the COP29 Climate Change Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, one can't help but ask: when will the United Nations (UN) hold a summit dedicated to the pressing issues of democracy, human rights, and the respect for the rule of law? While global summits such as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the annual Climate Change Conferences (COP), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summits, and others address a wide range of critical issues, the question remains as to why the state of democracy and human rights is not accorded similar urgency on the global stage. The UN, in its 78 years of existence, has organized countless high-level summits focusing on vital matters like the environment, global health, and sustainable development. These summits are undeniably crucial, but the question arises as to why democracy and human rights, issues that affect the daily lives of billions of people, are often relegated to the margins.
Every day, countless individuals across the globe face authoritarian repression, violence, and the erosion of their basic rights, with little to no recourse or accountability. The absence of a focused, UN-sponsored summit on democracy and human rights leaves a void, as people living under regimes that systematically undermine freedoms are left without a prominent platform on the world stage. This article delves into why democracy and human rights should command the same attention, the hist.
