15 September 2026: International Day of Democracy

For those who live in countries where democracy remains functional, it is unfortunately easy to take the associated liberties for granted. In this position of privilege, one only knows through the exercise of imagination what it is truly like to face the oppressive possibility of arbitrary execution, disappearance, or incarceration, or to experience the absence of a voice, access to free information, or active protection of basic human rights. In contrast, those who live these realities need not imagine this fear, uncertainty, and violence.

The UN observes the International Day of Democracy as “an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world.” UNESCO defines democracy as a “system of governance in which power resides with the people, allowing them to participate in decision-making processes.” This definition also encompasses core principles, including equality, freedom, and justice. In 2002, the UN Human Rights Commission published resolution 2002/46, recognizing eight essential elements of democracy, including respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, exercise of power in accordance with the rule of law, and an independent judiciary and media.

Each year, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) publishes a Global State of Democracy report. The 2026 report was published Tuesday, identifying a strong trend of democratic decline.

One of the countries of focus was the US, identified as hitting its lowest levels of democracy indicators in 50 years. A key issue area is attacks on human rights, which Human Rights Watch has also investigated and documented. These include unwarranted voter registration restrictions, discriminatory and violent immigration enforcement lacking due process, and the impeding of reproductive rights.

The report also recognizes a lack of press freedom, in line with the Committee to Protect Journalists’ documentation of “extraordinary and intensifying pressures” and restrictions facing journalists under President Trump’s second administration. Judicial independence has also suffered, including incidents of Trump publicly disparaging and threatening judges, and other concerns for their safety and decision-making freedom.

International IDEA indicates that this “rapid decline of democracy” in the US is not an isolated trend. Globally in 2025, judicial independence, credible elections, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and access to justice were all at their worst in over thirty years. In 2026, many indicators fell again, with Rule of Law being the weakest category. This means that governments around the world are failing to exercise power in an equal, just manner in which the law is applied consistently to everyone, regardless of their status.

Despite the overall alarm at the current state of democracy, there have also been positive developments, such as in Bangladesh. Following the toppling of an authoritarian regime in 2024, the country elected a new prime minister who pledges to end fear and repression, as well as major issues like enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Another country with some positive movement is Syria. After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the country is in a five-year political transition. One improvement was Access to Justice, with the creation of commissions for transitional justice and missing persons, and the first trial for mass killings. However, for these examples, and others identified as moving in a more positive direction in 2026, “improvements remain fragile.”

As UN Secretary General António Guterres expresses in his message on this occasion, “we face a world of deepening division. Conflicts are multiplying, trust is eroding, and the social contract between citizens and their governments is undermined.”

Despite the extensive challenges, Guterres’ message also contains hope that we can continue to work for the “peace, dignity and inclusion that every society needs and deserves.” As Haitian democracy activist Jean Dominique once said, “You cannot kill the truth. You cannot kill justice. You cannot kill what we are fighting for.”