Democratic Gains and Challenges in Europe - One Step Forward Two Steps Back?

In November 2019, International IDEA launched the second edition of its flagship report titled The Global State of Democracy 2019: Addressing the Ills, Reviving the Promise. The report provides a health check of the state of democracy; analyzing global trends, and opportunities and challenges across regions and within regions. The analysis is based on International IDEA’s Global State of Democracy Indices that measure democratic governance in 158 countries. The indices are closely related to human rights and are highly relevant to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as they contribute to tracking progress on several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 16 (Peace, justice and accountable institutions) and SDG 5 (Gender equality). Among other things, the 2019 report analyzes patterns and conditions of democratic backsliding, the empowerment of civil society in a shrinking civic space and threats to the rights of freedom of assembly and association; and the impact of information and communications technologies on democracy.

The World Bank’s Governance Global Practice ECA Region, the Human Rights and Development Trust Fund and International IDEA will organize an interactive session on 4 March 2020 to present the main findings the GSoD 2019 Report, with emphasis on the key findings for Europe. The positive developments and challenges to democracy will be outlined while discussing the opportunities and challenges regarding civil society’s shrinking space and highlighting priority areas for reform.   

THE PANEL WILL BE COMPOSED AS FOLLOWS:

CHAIR 

• Roby Senderowitsch, Practice Manager, Governance Global Practice

SPEAKERS

• Kevin Casas-Zamora,  Secretary-General, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
• Annika Silva-Leander, Head of Democracy Assessment and Political Analysis at International IDEA

DISCUSSANTS

• Verena Fritz, Senior Public Specialist, and co-chair of the Political Economy and Governance CoP, Governance Global Practice
• Camilla Lindstrom, Senior Program Officer, Human Rights Development Trust Fund