International Civil Society Forum on “Civil Society Partnerships for Democracy” (8-9 September 2003) and the Fifth International Conference on New or Restored Democracies “Democracy, Good Governance and Civil Society” (10-12 September 2003)

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

A REPORT

A very successful and interesting International Civil Society Forum (ICSF) was held on 8-9 September 2003 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Over 200 civil society representatives from 63 countries attended the Forum, the main theme of which was “Civil Society Partnerships for Democracy”. The participants focused on the practical ways to promote partnerships and strengthen commitments to democratic governance locally, nationally and internationally. The discussions were held in plenary sessions and 18 breakout discussions focusing on specific aspects of work of the civil society.

Based on the understanding that democracy is a universal good and an ever-evolving process, the participants set forth nine principles of democratic governance and adopted 59 concrete recommendations addressed to governments, to civil society organizations and to intergovernmental organizations/donor community. Moreover, it adopted a plan of action which endorsed the creation of the ICSF Follow-up Mechanism that is expected to take concrete action in implementation of the outcome document. Thus it will encourage and facilitate creation of national and regional “Democracy Watch” networks, promote information sharing and continue to maintain and update the ICSF website. It will also promote national and transnational civil society networks to monitor follow-up to ICSF recommendations and progress in such areas as access to justice and the rule of law, conflict prevention, peace-building and transitions from conflict, mechanisms for monitoring and compliance with human rights norms and democratic practices, promoting inclusiveness and greater participation in democracy. The follow-up mechanism will also elaborate ICSF institutional memory and report annually to ICSF members. It was decided that the next ICSF be held some time in 2006 prior to or parallel with ICNRD-6.

The ICSF preceded the Fifth International Conference of New or Restored Democracies (ICNRD-5), which was held on 10-12 September in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Its main theme was “Democracy, Good Governance and Civil Society”. The conference was attended by over 450 representatives from 119 countries and over 10 intergovernmental organizations. Thirty-one delegates from the ICSF participated in this conference and presented its outcome and recommendations to the conference. They also participated in the thematic discussions that focused on specific issues. One of the areas of the conference’s focus was strengthening civil society in new and re-emerging democracies. Delegates welcomed China’s participation in the conference. The conference adopted the Ulaanbaatar Declaration and a Plan of Action.

The participants recognized that democratic societies had certain qualities which they considered superior to theirs, particularly those concerned with their participatory, representative and equitable nature, and that democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms were interdependent and synergic. The declaration laid out in detail six principles of promoting democracy.

The Plan of Action specifically focuses on the concrete actions that need to be taken by new and re-emerging democracies to promote and depend on democratic reforms. Thus it called for adoption of national plans of action for strengthening democracy as well as development of national democratic indicators’ databases to be better able to monitor their progress in democratic and social development. It was suggested that the database be developed with the participation of civil society. As well, the Plan of Action called on the executive and legislature to hold regular consultations with citizens to ensure that they are well aware of their needs and thus able to address them accordingly at the highest level.

The participants called on governments to help promote human rights monitoring capacities of NGOs and the media, to include civic/democracy/human rights education in their school curricula, facilitate citizens’ access to information, draw up regional plans of action, create regional networks of policy-makers and civil society members to study conflict prevention and consensus-building in democracies, etc. It was decided that ICNRD secretariat will coordinate its work with the ICSF Follow-up Mechanism. The conference also decided to work closer with the United Nations and the ICNRD President to initiate discussions with the Chair of the Community of Democracies to exchange views on ways to bring closer the two movements. Since there were concrete ideas to institutuionalize the ICNRD, the President was asked to establish, with the assistance of the United Nations, a working group to examine all the suggestions with a view to make the conference more effective and efficient.

For more information please log on to <http://www.icsf-2003.mn/> and <http://www.icnrd5-mongolia.mn/>. The see the Recommendations prepared at the ICSF and presented to the ICNRD, click here.
Adapted from letter to Democracy News 18 September 2003 by J. Enkhsaikhan, National Advisor.

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This page was last updated on October 10, 2003

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