A main report focuses on multilateral support for democracy at the national level. Three background papers explore the roles of the UN, regional organizations and coalitions of like-minded states.

According to International IDEA, of 174 countries assessed, 98 declined and 55 improved in at least one factor of democratic performance from 2020 to 2025. In 81% of cases, no change occurred.

A report of the Human Rights Foundation says that the UN’s post-2030 development agenda should place human rights and democracy at its core. It warns that the SDG process is misused by authoritarian g...

Across 34 countries, 57 percent of respondents back shared solutions even if it means compromising on some national interests, while trust in the UN and other international bodies has slightly risen.

As the UN highlights deliberative democracy, civil society groups call for a permanent framework giving randomly selected people a voice on global issues, from climate change to artificial intelligenc...

Democracy is based on popular representation and participation, individual rights and liberties and the rule of law. Discover our brochure.

Eight candidates, including five women, are competing to succeed António Guterres. The appointment is expected in the final quarter of 2026, with the new UN chief taking office in January 2027

Randomly chosen global citizens from 60 countries met online in a civic assembly and agreed on policy recommendations in the field of food systems and climate change.

A strengthened regional framework could help Pacific island states enhance democratic governance, coordinate security, and better respond to shared challenges.

For democratic representation at the United Nations Global decisions, and global failure to act, shape people’s lives and the future of humanity. Yet the United Nations, the world’s central forum for ...

Parliamentarians for Global Action backs a proposed UN Special Rapporteur to monitor democratic governance, address backsliding, and promote good practices.

Civil society groups outline recommendations on civic space, economic justice, rule of law, peacebuilding, human rights and UN reform, including the possible creation of a parliamentary UN body.

This article explains how autocracies are reshaping global governance through institutional drift, informal cooperation and domestic backlash, and how democracies can react to defend liberal norms and...

Labour rights are under mounting pressure worldwide, with the United States added to a watchlist and violations reported in most countries surveyed in the 2026 Global Rights Index.

Guterres’ UN80 update outlines efficiency measures and mandate reforms, while experts warn that austerity sidelines human rights, participation and democratic renewal.

In the proposed D7 format, Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK and other democracies could cooperate on trade, technology and security and jointly counter authoritarian ...

The Global Solidarity Report 2026 finds more people identify as world citizens, support tax funding for global problems and back enforcement powers for international institutions.

The 2026 Democracy Perception Index report covers views from 94,000 respondents in 98 countries on democracy, country direction, security and global cooperation.

Access Now, the group that organizes RightsCon, says Zambian officials asked it to exclude Taiwanese participants if it wanted the event to proceed as planned.

The Zambian government's last-minute move to stop RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka draws sharp criticism from rights groups and raises concerns over civic space and foreign influence.

A Freedom House report finds that at least 54 governments have engaged in targeting dissidents abroad in 2025, in particular in Southeast Asia and East Africa.

Online identity checks risk becoming a dangerous slippery slope, making it easier for governments to erode anonymous speech and chill dissent under the guise of safety or accountability.

Democracies should not assume middle powers are natural allies, since many are autocracies that do not share their interests, goals, and values, the authors argue.

Artemis II’s striking images of Earth from lunar distance revive awe in space exploration while revealing our planet as a fragile, borderless world that calls for shared responsibility, argues Ian Cra...

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, among the 167 countries and territories covered, almost three quarters either improved from 2024 to 2025 or remained unchanged.

The UN's ECOSOC elected 19 states to the UN NGO Committee for 2027 to 2030. Freedom House rates only five as free, while eight are not free, raising concerns over authoritarian influence in the body.

In the new assessment, among 195 countries and 13 territories covered in the report, 89 were considered “free”, 52 “partly free” and 67 “not free” in 2025. Overall, 54 deteriorated and 35 improved.

Research across 33 countries shows that short online civic education videos can boost support for democracy, improve knowledge, and reduce openness to authoritarian alternatives.

On this page we highlight shared global challenges, cooperation dilemmas and a new vision for global governance.

V-Dem’s 2026 assessment finds that autocracies outnumber democracies by 92 to 87. With 44 countries worsening and 18 improving, the current wave of autocratization is continuing.

Sweden’s V-Dem Institute warns that the US is no longer a liberal democracy. And autocracy is creeping across Europe too, says writer Martin Gelin

As great powers undermine global norms, small and medium states must unite to protect UN human rights bodies, defend scrutiny, and restore political will for principled multilateral action, this artic...

A new index by Human Rights Foundation rates 179 countries as democratic, hybrid or authoritarian, using electoral competition, freedom of dissent, and institutional accountability for regime classifi...

Transparency International’s 2025 corruption perceptions index shows a global average score of 42 of 100 and connects low ratings to restricted civic space in the countries concerned.

Trump's Board of Peace faces backlash over its unclear mandate, private control, undemocratic structure, and concerns about its deviation from established governance standards.

Oxfam, the World Inequality Report 2026 and a G20 panel warn that extreme wealth concentration is accelerating, increasing the risk of democratic erosion worldwide.

Two 2026 risk reports by the Global Challenges Foundation and the World Economic Forum highlight rising global threats, from planetary tipping points to geopolitical conflict.

Global polling shows public support for international cooperation is slipping. Trust in global institutions depends on them delivering visible results, this piece argues.

Former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou highlights new survey data showing support for a world parliament, arguing a global conversation on the idea is necessary.

Trump's Board of Peace faces backlash over its unclear mandate, private control, undemocratic structure, and concerns about its deviation from established governance standards.

UN budget cuts reflect growing political pressure on human rights, as China and allies push for defunding while civil society warns of weakening global protections and accountability.

How does citizenship need to evolve in an interdependent world? We explore its history, dimensions and challenges in a global perspective.

A diverse global panel of 105 citizens will meet online in 2026 to develop recommendations on sustainable food systems and climate action, aiming to influence global governance and policy debates.

A group of forty states led by Chile and the International Service for Human Rights warned at a meeting in Geneva that proposed budget cuts will disproportionately affect the UN's human rights pillar.

The permanent members of the UN Security Council can veto any change of the UN Charter. A way to circumvent a veto is to reconstitute the UN as a new legal entity.