Strengthening the role of the United Nations in enhancing periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization A/RES/74/158 2. Commends the electoral assistance provided upon request to Member States by the United Nations, and requests that such assistance continue on a case -bycase basis in accordance with the evolving needs and legislation of requesting countries to develop, improve and refine their elector al institutions and processes, including by ensuring full access to all stages of the electoral process for persons with disabilities, recognizing that the responsibility for organizing free and fair elections lies with Governments; 3. Reaffirms that the electoral assistance provided by the United Nations should continue to be carried out in an objective, impartial, neutral and independent manner; 4. Requests the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, in her role as United Nations focal point for electoral assistance matters, to continue to regularly inform Member States about the requests received and the nature of any assistance provided; 5. Requests the United Nations to continue its efforts to ensure, before undertaking to provide electoral assistance to a requesting State, that there is adequate time to organize and carry out an effective mission providing such assistance, including the provision of long-term technical cooperation, that conditions exist to allow a free and fair election and that the results of the mission will be reported comprehensively and consistently; 6. Notes the importance of adequate resources for the administration of efficient and transparent elections at the national and local levels, and recommends that Member States provide adequate resources for those elections, including by considering the possibility of establishing internal funding, where feasible; 7. Reaffirms the obligation of all States to take all appropriate measures to ensure that every citizen has the effective right and opportunity to participate in elections on an equal basis; 8. Strongly condemns any manipulation of election processes, coercion and tampering with vote counts, particularly when done by States, as well as by other actors, and calls upon all Member States to respect the rule of law and the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons, including the right to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections, which shall be by universal and equal suffr age and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors, thereby fostering conditions in which all citizens, regardless of how they voted, whom they supported or whether their candidates prevailed, have the motivation and incentive, as well as the right and opportunity, to continue to participate directly or through elected representatives in the conduct of public affairs and their Government; 9. Calls upon all Member States to ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and to be elected; 10. Also calls upon all Member States to consider ways to increase the representation of youth in decision-making at all levels in local, national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms, to promote the constructive political engagement of youth and to consider, explore and promote new avenues for the full, effective, structured and sustained participation of youth and youth -led organizations in relevant decision-making processes; 11. Further calls upon all Member States to enhance the political participation of women, accelerate the achievement of equality between men and women and, in 19-22284 5/7