Strengthening the role of the United Nations in enhancing periodic
and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization
A/RES/70/168
Recalling also all relevant Human Rights Council resolutions on the topic,
including resolutions 19/11 of 22 March 2012, 1 19/36 of 23 March 2012, 1 22/10 of
21 March 2013 2 and 24/8 of 26 September 2013, 3
Reaffirming that United Nations electoral assistance and support for the
promotion of democratization are provided only at the specifi c request of the
Member State concerned,
Noting with satisfaction that increasing numbers of Member States are using
elections as a peaceful means of discerning the will of the people, which builds
confidence in representational governance and contributes to greater national peace
and stability, and which may contribute to regional peace and stability,
Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on
10 December 1948, 4 in particular the principle that the will of the people, as
expressed through periodic and genuine elections, shall be the basis of government
authority, as well as the right freely to choose representatives through periodic and
genuine elections, which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held
by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures,
Reaffirming the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 5 the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 6 the
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms o f Racial Discrimination 7
and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 8 and reaffirming also
that no distinctions are permitted among citizens on any grounds, such as race,
colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, natio nal or social origin,
property, birth or other status, or on the basis of disability, in the enjoyment of the
right to participate, directly or through freely chosen representatives, and to vote
and to be elected in genuine periodic elections, which shall be by universal and
equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of
the will of the electors,
Reaffirming also that the full and effective participation of women, on equal
terms with men, at all levels of decision-making is essential to the achievement of
equality and social inclusion, sustainable development, peace and democracy,
Stressing the importance, generally and in the context of promoting free and
fair elections, of respect for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association and
expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information, in
accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and noting
in particular the fundamental importance of access to information and media
freedom, including through accessible and easy to understand formats for new
information and communications technologies,
_______________
1
See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 53 and corrigendum
(A/67/53 and Corr.1), chap. III, sect. A.
2
Ibid., Sixty-eighth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/68/53), chap. IV, sect. A.
3
Ibid., Supplement No. 53A (A/68/53/Add.1), chap. III.
4
Resolution 217 A (III).
5
See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
6
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1249, No. 20378.
7
Ibid., vol. 660, No. 9464.
8
Ibid., vol. 2515, No. 44910.
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