Strengthening the role of the United Nations in enhancing periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization A/RES/74/158 and provide civic education, including to youth, in requesting countries in order to consolidate and regularize the achievements of previous elections and support subsequent elections, Noting the importance of ensuring orderly, open, fair and transparent d emocratic processes that protect the rights to peaceful assembly, association and freedom of expression and opinion, Noting also that the international community can contribute to the creation of conditions that could foster stability and security through out the pre-election, election and post-election periods in transitional and post-conflict situations, Reiterating that transparency is a fundamental basis for free and fair elections, which contribute to the accountability of Governments to their citizen s, which, in turn, is an underpinning of democratic societies, Acknowledging, in this regard, the importance of national and international observation of elections for the promotion of free and fair elections and its contribution to enhancing the integrity of election processes in requesting countries, to promoting public confidence and electoral participation and to mitigating the potential for election-related disturbances, Acknowledging also that extending invitations regarding international electoral assistance and/or observation is the sovereign right of Member States, and welcoming the decisions of those States that have requested such assistance and/or observation, Recalling its resolution 60/1 of 16 September 2005, entitled “2005 World Summit Outcome”, in which it welcomed the establishment by the Secretary-General of the United Nations Democracy Fund, Welcoming the support provided by Member States to the electoral assistance activities of the United Nations, inter alia, through the provision of electoral experts, including electoral commission staff, and observers, as well as through contributions to the United Nations trust fund for electoral assistance, the democratic governance thematic trust fund of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Democracy Fund, Recognizing that electoral assistance, particularly through appropriate, sustainable, accessible and cost-effective electoral technology, can facilitate full access for persons with disabilities and supports the electoral processes of developing countries, Recognizing also the coordination challenges posed by the multiplicity of actors involved in electoral assistance both within and outside the United Nations, Welcoming the contributions made by international and regional organizations and also by non-governmental organizations to enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization, Recognizing the importance of the links that exist between development, peace, human rights, the rule of law, democracy and good governance, including the holding of free and fair elections, and in this regard recalling the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 14 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on strengthening the role of the United Nations in enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization; 13 __________________ 14 4/7 Resolution 70/1. 19-22284