GFDD and FUNGLODE Participate in Discussions With the Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter

Representatives from several NGOs of the Region, including GFFD and FUNGLODE, as well as Ambassadors from Uruguay , Colombia , Canada , Venezuela and the US gathered to discuss the need to reinforce aspects of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and strengthen the education of the Charter among the member countries.
 
The  Democratic Charter, which is celebrating its
tenth anniversary this year, was put into test during the Honduran crisis –  after the democratically elected president was forcibly removed from power the OAS took steps to expel Honduras from the Organization.
 
Nevertheless, the Honduran situation exposed weaknesses in the Charter stemming primarily from the lack of law enforcement agencies in the majority of the member countries – the same reason that accounts for much of the
insecurity the region in currently experiencing.
 
The greatest challenge that the Inter-American Democratic Charter faces consists of bringing democracy beyond the level of competition among political parties/candidates to a higher platform engaging the full use of citizen’s rights.
 
Some members of Civil Society raised the subject of appointing someone in the position of Ombudsman of the Friends of the
Democratic Charter.  This individual would serve primarily as an observer and whose role would be to send early warnings and take proactive steps to insure that sensitive situations do not evolve into acute crises.
 
The proposal also wants to formulate a reform of the Charter to be presented for consideration at the next Summit of the Americas .
 
Link: Inter-American Democratic
Charter
http://www.educadem.oas.org/documentos/dem_eng.pdf