Media outlets around the world have focused on 2024 as the “election super year,” when nearly 3.7 billion people from more than 70 countries will vote. Elections are high-risk events that require significant investments for people to exercise political influence, elect their representatives, and hold officials accountable.
About one in four countries in Latin America and the Caribbean will hold an electoral process this year, giving more than 140 million people the opportunity to express their preferences, which has the potential to reshape the region's political landscape.
National or local elections held in an environment where there is a high level of distrust of public institutions and politicians in general, dysfunctional public administration, extreme levels of information pollution, disregard for the rule of law and a weakening of institutions may not lead to the desired results that people care. Disinformation and violence in online and offline elections are weakening citizens' trust in electoral processes, increasing concerns about democratic backsliding.
Voters expect that their views will be represented, that elected officials will deliver on their promises, and that citizens will have the opportunity to hold elected officials accountable when they fail to deliver on their promises.
Young people around the world have the lowest trust in democracy and do not trust politicians to address issues related to the climate crisis and rising income inequality
Democracy as an ideal continues to enjoy strong support around the world. 81% of people surveyed in the latest round of the World Values Survey said that it is important to live in a democratic country. Likewise, the Open Society Foundations survey of more than 36,000 people in 30 countries found that 80% wanted to live in a democracy. However, dissatisfaction with the actual functioning of democracy is increasing. A recent global survey found high levels of disillusionment among young people about the meaning of elections. Of all age groups, young people around the world have the lowest trust in democracy and do not trust politicians to address issues related to the climate crisis and rising income inequality.
Strong democratic governance
Resilient democracies require good public administration, which cannot be created overnight but is based on responsible social and political institutions with norms, values and a culture based on respect for human rights. We have seen numerous examples of how poor governance can limit human development, hinder economic progress and contribute to suffering and abuse. In some contexts, this discontent has led to an increase in cases of violent political expression and coup attempts. Indeed, in September 2021, the UN Secretary-General stated with concern that “coups have returned.”
Elections alone will not achieve the things people care about or build trust in public authority; The foundations of democratic institutions must also be solid. Experience has shown that, for elections to be meaningful to the people, they must be part of a strong democratic system of government in which citizens experience the rule of law, with institutions that provide checks and balances in the exercise of power and curb corruption. Even in the period between elections, citizens demand reliable information and opportunities to have a say on the issues that are important to them, as well as non-discriminatory access to high-quality public services.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as one of the largest providers of electoral assistance, together with the United Nations system, is providing technical assistance to nearly 20 countries that will or may hold elections in 2024. With an investment of 8.5 million euros starting in 2021, UNDP and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) have created a global electoral support alliance to make elections in 21 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia and the Pacific more inclusive, reliable and secure make. The focus of this work is on preparing election management organizations for emerging risks such as disinformation and digital violence; in strengthening the ability of historically marginalized populations to participate effectively in electoral processes; and improving societal responses to promote information integrity.
Next July, the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) will examine in depth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which focuses on many of the essential elements of democratic governance and promotes peaceful, just and inclusive societies. The Global Progress Report on SDG 16 warns that progress towards this goal is worryingly slow and in some cases even heading in the wrong direction. Forty countries, eight of them from Latin America and the Caribbean, will present their national reports on the progress of the SDGs, including SDG 16.
As we enter the first quarter of this “super election year,” there is an urgent need to invest in resilient democratic systems of government so that people realize their voice is valuable and helps deliver the outcomes that matter to them.
Marcos Neto He is Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Director of the Office of Policy and Program Support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
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