Compendium of Good Practice: Protecting and Promoting Rights in Elections
To mark the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are launching our Compendium of Good Practice from National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) around the Commonwealth on protecting freedom of expression, assembly and association in the context of elections.
The ability to participate freely in dialogue and debate, and freely associate with others and enjoy peaceful assembly, are fundamental tenets of democracy. This includes situations where challenging or controversial views are exchanged. These rights are of particular importance during elections, where the right to freely debate ideas and issues is critical.
Our colleagues in NHRIs across the globe are taking action to support the conditions that enable our democracies to thrive. On behalf of CFNHRI, the Equality and Human Rights Commission funded research into the important role of Commonwealth NHRIs in promoting the rights of freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in the context of elections.
This Compendium of Good Practice explores the challenges that Commonwealth countries face in relation to elections. It provides case studies of how National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) have undertaken action to address these challenges. We hope that NHRIs from all over the world will use this resource to support them in fulfilling their mandates to promote and protect freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly during elections.
