IFES & V-Dem Institute: 'V-Dem Democracy Report 2022 Discussion' - 7 April 2022, 13.30 (ET)

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The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute’s 2022 Democracy Report documents several signs that autocracy is gaining ground, as polarization and heightened disinformation undermine democracy around the globe. Authoritarian leaders are also increasingly sowing mis- and disinformation to discredit the democratic process and shake confidence in its benefits.

Despite these trends, extensive evidence collected by V-Dem's Case for Democracy reaffirms that democratic governments perform much better than authoritarian regimes in key areas of development, including economic growth, security, public health and the provision of public goods. These findings offer an important opportunity to consider how democracy champions can leverage data to both debunk the autocratic narrative and to fight for democracy and guarantee its benefits, domestically and globally.

Please join the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and V-Dem for a virtual discussion on V-Dem’s 2022 report and trends in autocratization and democratization on April 7 at 1:30 p.m.

Speakers:

Dr. Staffan Lindberg – Director, V-Dem Institute

Dr. Cassandra Emmons – Democracy Data Analyst, IFES

Dr. Fernanda Buril – Research Specialist, IFES

Moderator:

Chad Vickery – Vice President, Global Strategy and Technical Leadership

International IDEA & V-Dem Institute: ‘Democratic Resilience and Backsliding: Coping with the Challenges of the Post-Pandemic World’ - 6 April 2022, 19.15-20.45 (CET)

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A red thread links the responses to the pandemic crisis and the capacity to address challenges like those posed by the Russia-Ukraine war: the importance of a rules-based international order for both preventing violent conflict and aggression and coping with global crises.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign state and a democracy, in breach of international law and international agreements and the rules-based international order, is an outright rejection of the principles at the core of the UN Charter. Its severity is compounded by the fact that it happens during a pandemic that has rendered evident the need for increased global cooperation to make the world governable and achieve justice for all.

Against this background, join us on 6 April 2022 from 19:15 -20:45 CET for a virtual webinar where International IDEA and the V-Dem Institute will present the results of their analyses on the state of democracy in the world. In a growingly inter-connected and inter-dependent world, no country can afford to deal with crises of such nature without relying on cooperation and mutual understanding; however, enhancing international cooperation requires that there is such a thing as a rules-based international order. And that’s precisely what is at stake in Ukraine. A world in which might is right is a world in which global cooperation to solve global challenges is all but impossible.

Moderator:

Dr Massimo Tommasoli, Permanent Observer for International IDEA to the UN

Panelists:

Professor Staffan I. Lindberg, Director, V-Dem Institute, Dept. of Political Science, Univ. of Gothenburg

Dr Seema Shah, Head, Democracy Assessment, International IDEA

2022 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy - 6 April 2022, 9.30-16.30 (CEST)

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The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy is a major conference that shines a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention. It provides human rights heroes, activists and former political prisoners with a unique platform to testify about their personal struggles for democracy and freedom, while building an international community to take on dictatorships.

The Summit is held around the main annual session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, when foreign ministers gather in Geneva, to force critical issues onto the international agenda. The 14th Geneva Summit will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, on the heels of the main session.

The event is attended by hundreds of dissidents, victims, diplomats, journalists, student leaders and other concerned citizens. Thousands more watch online.

The Geneva Summit is sponsored by a coalition of 25 human rights NGOs from around the world. It has been featured in media around the glove, including CNN, AFP, AP, DW, the Wall Street Journal and The Australian.

Australian Academy of Law & Australian Association of Constitutional Law: ‘Australian Federalism in the Time of COVID’ - 31 March 2022, 16.15 (AWST)

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Has COVID-19 revived Australian federalism? What does federalism look like after the pandemic? Professor Nicholas Aroney (University of Queensland) will talk about decision-making in a public health crisis and Professor Alan Fenna (Curtin University) will reflect on whether we are seeing a revival of federalism in Australia. This event is chaired by Professor Sarah Murray.

Electoral Regulation Research Network (ERRN): ‘Australia 2022 election: Logistical challenges’ - 15 March 2022, 12.30-13.45 (AEDT)

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With the forthcoming federal election looming, ERRN QLD chapter is organizing an online panel discussion on the management and logistics of the election. At least two elements regarding the forthcoming election can be considered: logistical challenges such as voters’ and staff safety, given Covid-19 and a predicted surge in early in postal voting. Fostering exchange between academics and electoral commissions, in this ERRN event, Professors Anika Gauja and Rodney Smith will join First Assistant Commissioner, Service Delivery Division, Dr Kath Gleeson from the Australian Electoral Commission. Presenters will talk between 10-15 minutes, followed by a Q&A session. The event will be chaired by Dr. Ferran Martinez i Coma ERRN QLD chapter convener and Senior Lecturer at Griffith University.

V-Dem: 'Launch of Democracy Report 2022 & V-Dem Dataset' - 2 March 2022, 15.00-16.00 (CET)

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Join us for the latest on State of Democracy in the World and release of the new V-Dem Dataset version 12. If you would like to register and actively participate in the event, please contact nazifa.alizada@gu.se.

The program includes the opening & presentation of the Democracy Report 2022 by Professor Staffan I. Lindberg, Founding Director, V-Dem Institute, and Assistant Professor Vanessa A. Boese, V-Dem Institute.

Commentators:

Joseph Asunka, CEO, Afrobarometer

Sandra Botero, Associate Professor, Universidad del Rosario (Colombia)

Arvinn Gadgil, Director, UNDP Oslo Governance Centre

Partnership for Economic Policy: ‘The risks and potential of Covid-19 policy responses for inclusiveness and equality’ - 18 February 2022, 13:00-14:00 (GMT)

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Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) has been hosting a series of online roundtable discussions on lessons for more effective and inclusive policy responses to the Covid-19 crisis in the Global South. PEP and other Southern-based researchers will share and discuss findings from their projects on the effectiveness of early or potential public policy responses to mitigate the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, particularly for the most vulnerable populations in the Global South. PEP supported these projects under its Rapid Response initiative and the IDRC-funded COVID-19 Responses for Equity (CORE) initiative.

Panelists:

Edgar Cooke, Lecturer, Ashesi University, Ghana.

Lorena Alcazar Valdivia, Senior Researcher, GRADE, Peru.

Towfiqul Islam Khan, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh.

Miriam Omolo, Executive Director, The African Policy Research Institute, Kenya.

Moderator:

Lucas Ronconi, Professor of Economics, Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Research Fellow at PEP and IZA.

Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC), Asia Development Alliance (ADA) & Asia Democracy Network (ADN): ‘Tokyo Democracy Forum 2022’ - 14-15 February 2022, 13.15-15.15 (BKK time)

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Register here - closes 9 February 2022.

Under the proposed theme, ‘Defending Civic Space in a time of COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on SDG16+’, the Tokyo Democracy Forum (TDF) is expected to address various challenges, threats and oppressions to civil society organizations and civic space in Asia, as well as opportunities and strategies for international civic engagement on democracy, human rights and SDGs, in particular, the SDG16+ “Fostering peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence.”.

Civil society organizations and researchers working in Asia are to be invited to join the TDF as partners, such as Action for Sustainable Development (A4SD), Asia Civil Society Partnership for Sustainable Development (APSD), CIVICUS, Communities of Democracies (CoD), Forus, Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), Transparency, Accountability and Participation (TAP) Network etc.

The main objective of the TDF is to increase awareness of shrinking civic space, human rights, and the importance of SDG16+ among CSO leaders, policymakers, governments, academia, and corporations across Asia. The TDF will provide a platform for a wider range of stakeholders to share experience on advocacy initiatives, implementation, challenges, and progress with regards to SDGs.

Asia Centre: ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Human Rights’ - 9 December 2021, 14.00-15.30 (Bangkok time)

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Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December, as the date marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDH) in 1948. The UNDR stipulates a certain set of basic human rights for all people to be protected and promoted. These rights are as relevant to us today as they were in 1948.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the exercise of fundamental human rights, namely freedom of expression, assembly and association. Even before the pandemic, a number of countries in Southeast Asia have already experienced democratic backsliding. Popular and nationalistic leaders use hate speech to divide communities. Critical reporting by journalists is branded as fake news and thus criminalized by a number of anti-fake news legislation. Online discussion and communication is disrupted as governments impose internet shutdowns or suspend telecommunication connectivity.

In commemorating the Human Rights Day, Asia Centre and its partners take stock of the latest developments in the region, raise awareness of rights violations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and advocate for human rights promotion and protection for all.

Speakers:

• Karen Gomez Dumpit, Commissioner on Human Rights, Philippines

• Lorraine Finlay, Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission 

• Andy Yentriyani, Chairperson, National Commission on Violence Against Women, Indonesia

• Pornprapai Ganjanarintr, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of Thailand

• Eric Paulsen, Representative for Malaysia, ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)

British Academy & Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law: ‘The Rule of Law and the Future of Democracy’ - 9 December 2021, 18.00-19.15 (UK time)

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Recent events, ranging from the Brexit referendum to the approaches taken in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, have refocused attention on the Rule of Law and the future of our democracy. Our unwritten constitution and the respective powers and competences of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, and the important relationships between them, are all being subjected to unusual stresses. The evening's discussion will explore these concerns.

The discussion will be chaired by Professor Sarah Worthington DBE FBA, University of Cambridge and led by contributions from:

• Sir Jack Beatson, PC, FBA, Lord Justice of Appeal 2013-2018

• Lord Sales, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

• Professor Aileen Kavanagh, Trinity College Dublin  

This event is sponsored by the Jones Day Foundation.

International IDEA: ‘Global Democracy Coalition Forum’ - 7 December 2021 (All-day event)

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International IDEA is convening a global multistakeholder coalition for democracy in a virtual forum to be held for 24 hours on 7 December 2021. The purpose of the Global Democracy Coalition Forum is to facilitate a global conversation on democracy, as inputs to the Summit for Democracy, convened by the United States Government and to be held on 9 and 10 December 2021. The Forum seeks to provide a platform for voices, actors and issues that may not be part of the official Summit and will thereby contribute to broadening the discussions of the Summit.

The Forum will be held virtually and will consist of one day of over 26 live and recorded webinars with the participation of 34 democracy organizations around the world (and counting) held under the common brand “Global Democracy Coalition Forum” on key challenges, opportunities and solutions to strengthen, protect and renew democracy globally across and beyond the three pillars of the Summit for Democracy (human rights, corruption and rising authoritarianism). The webinars will be recorded and accessible on a webpage after the forum is over to help inform discussions in and after the Summit for Democracy 2021 and ahead of the 2022 Summit. Coalition members will engage actors from around the world, including global thought-leaders, prominent personalities, academics, experts, democracy activists and practitioners.

Chatham House: ‘Latin America 2021: Elections, economic recovery, foreign policy and the COVID-19 effect’ - 30 November 2021, 13.00-17.00 (GMT)

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This half day event, to be held in hybrid format, will bring together leading policymakers, economists, political analysts and private sector leaders to survey this year’s elections and political conditions as well as their implications for the region’s political, economic and foreign policy future.

Panel: Elections, Political Trajectories and Economics: Are there any patterns?

Following a year of elections across the region in Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Nicaragua, and with an eye to forthcoming elections in Brazil, Colombia and Costa Rica in 2022, can we detect trends in citizen demands, partisan realignment and policy directions within those countries and across the region? Is populism on the rise or has the wave crested? And how will these electoral trends affect economic policymaking, economic growth and investment?

International IDEA: ‘The Global State of Democracy Report 2021: Building Resilience in a Pandemic Era - Global Launch’ - 22 November 2021, 15.00-17.00 (CET)

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International IDEA’s “The Global State of Democracy: Building resilience in a pandemic era” report aims to influence the global debate and analyses current trends and challenges to democracy, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. It offers specific policy recommendations to spark new and innovative thinking for policymakers, governments and civil society organizations supporting democracy.

The organisation will host a series of events in November and December comprising the global and regional report launches and findings. Browse the events page for more details about all event agendas involving notable speakers and supporters of democracy, as well as information on the succeeding regional and country launches.

Chatham House: ‘The fake news pandemic in Latin America’ - 17 November 2021, 17.00-18.00 (GMT)

- Members Event -

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Chinese media is rapidly becoming a key source of information on international developments for Latin American audiences, which has one of the world’s highest rates of social media use, making it fertile territory for fake news. While government-sponsored media from China receives generous support from state budgets and can offer extensive coverage of political events, high production costs limit trusted independent media outlets.

In light of this, the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has presented government-sponsored media in China with an opportunity to disseminate information about the pandemic that has undermined Western governments and spread post-Covid narratives in Latin America and the developing world. The central pillar of the narrative promoted in Latin America by China is the idea that its government is better fit to meet the challenges of the pandemic than liberal democracies.

The panellists examine how Chinese disinformation in Latin America is influencing the response to the pandemic:

• How can Latin American societies combat fake news?

• What is the Chinese government’s political or commercial agenda?

• Are some Latin American governments complicit with China’s agenda?

• What is the impact of fake news on democratic stability?

University of Melbourne: ‘Forum on Law and COVID-19: Strengthening Legal Preparedness and Response for the Future’ - 3-4 November 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical role of law in preparing for and responding to health emergencies. It has tested the capacity of domestic legal frameworks and revealed the shortcomings and opportunities for strengthening in all countries across the Western Pacific Region. There is a unique opportunity to identify lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and harness the attention on legal frameworks for health emergencies to strengthen legal preparedness and response for the future and contribute to broader health system strengthening in the process.

The Forum on COVID-19 and Law is a WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific event, hosted with the support of the University of Melbourne. It will bring together partners and experts at a regional and country level to share experiences and discuss future actions and directions for strengthening legal preparedness and response in the Region.

Constitution Transformation Network & International IDEA: ‘2021 Melbourne Forum: Democracy, Constitutions & Dealing With The World’ - 2 & 4 November 2021

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In response to the ongoing impact of the COVID19 pandemic, the sixth Melbourne Forum on Constitution Building in Asia and the Pacific will again be organised as a series of online Roundtables hosted by the Constitution Transformation Network and by International IDEA. The topic of this year's Forum is "Democracy, Constitutions and Dealing with the World". The 2021 Melbourne Forum will be run as two connected online Roundtables, held on Tuesday 2 November 2021 from 1-5pm (AEST) and Thursday 2 November 2021 from 1-5pm (AEST).

The forum tackles a series of current issues involving the outward-looking, or external face of democratic constitutions. It cannot cover the whole field, which is vast. It focusses instead on four themes, chosen for their immediate relevance, as a way of starting the broader conversation:

• the relevance and significance of international approval of new constitutions;

• constitutional procedures for entering into treaties and other international commitments;

• constitutional frameworks for international investment approvals; and

• international engagement with sub-national jurisdictions.

American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy: ‘Conference: Civic Education in Polarized Times’ - 29-30 October 2021

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Hosted by Harvard University's Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, the annual conference of the American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy will be held virtually as a Zoom webinar. It will consist of a keynote address and three panels:

29 October (Friday)
Keynote Address (5:30-7:00 EDT)

30 October (Saturday)
Panel I (12:00-1:30 EDT) - Democratic Civic Education and Democratic Law 
Panel II (2:00-3:30 EDT) - To Sir with Love: Advancing Civic Awareness through Cross Communal Teachings
Panel III (4:00-5:30 EDT) - Civic Education, Students' Rights, and the Supreme Court

Petrie-Flom Center: ‘COVID-19, Science, and the Media: Lessons Learned Reporting on the Pandemic’ - 26 October 2021, 12.30-13.30 (EDT)

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From the transmission debate, to the origins investigation, to changes in mask guidance, to vaccine safety concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a particularly precarious nexus of science, politics, journalism, social media, and policy. This panel discussion will reflect on this tenuous situation, potential areas of improvement in pandemic reporting, and lessons learned from recent experience. 

Panelists:

Chloe Reichel - Editor-in-Chief, Bill of Health and Communications Associate, Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School

Kai Kupferschmidt - contributing correspondent, Science magazine

Apoorva Mandavilli - health and science reporter, The New York Times

Amy Maxmen - senior reporter, Nature

Emily Woodruff - health reporter, The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate

Alexandra L. Phelan (Moderator) - Assistant Professor, Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Malaysia): ‘Liberalism Conference 2021: The Fate of Liberal Democracy in Turbulent Times’ - 23-24 October

(Day 1) Link here

(Day 2) Link here

This year’s theme is on the fate of liberal democracy in Malaysia in these turbulent times, focussing on the political, economic, and social aspects. During times of crisis or great public uncertainty, it is fashionable to assume that authoritarian states are in a stronger position than liberal democracies with regards to their ability to react. However, as evidenced by the effective responses demonstrated by liberal democracies, such as New Zealand and Taiwan, it is clear that open societies have proven just as resilient during times of turbulence. Malaysia asserts more government control and one-way policies to handle the pandemic which seems ineffective. Is openness the key to navigating our health & political crisis?

CVRO & Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law: ‘Parliamentary Review of the Coronavirus Act 2020: Scrutiny Delayed, or Scrutiny Denied?’ - 14 October 2021, 13.00-14.00 (London time)

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The Coronavirus Act 2020 was passed in March 2020 following limited parliamentary debate. Partly to assuage concerns about its implications for rights and parliamentary oversight, the Act includes a clause requiring the House of Commons to vote on the continuation of temporary powers in use under the Act every six months. Later this month the third (and likely last) of these reviews will take place. In this webinar researchers from the COVID-19 Review Observatory and the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law reflect on what the previous two such reviews suggest about parliamentary accountability and oversight in the pandemic, and what key actions should be taken in the forthcoming review to ensure accountability to Parliament for the Act, its use, and its impacts.

Speakers:

Professor Fiona de Londras - Principal Investigator, COVID-19 Review Observatory (CVRO)

Katie Lines - Research Fellow in Rule of Law Monitoring of Coronavirus Legislation at the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law

Daniella Lock (Chair) - Research Fellow at CVRO