The COVID-19 pandemic is an international public health crisis that continues to challenge our democracies in ways that are unprecedented. Overall, this pandemic and the experience so far once again prove how important democratic and evidence-based law-making, due process, consensus-seeking with political opponents, credible and free flows of information, an open engagement between government and society are both in general, but also particularly in times of a global crisis. The crisis has also exposed pre-existing ills in democracies—inefficient governance, an erosion of trust in governance structures, polarization, fragility of freedoms of speech and information, and attacks on civic space.

This panel will serve to review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on democratic institutions, and on fundamental rights and freedoms. The discussion will draw from the findings and recommendations from International IDEA’s recently launched Global Monitor of COVID-19’s Impact on Democracy and Human Rights and OSCE/ODIHR's report on OSCE Human Dimension Commitments and State Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The featured speakers, Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA and Katarzyna Gardapkhadze, First Deputy Director/Director’s Alternate OSCE/ODIHR, will identify key trends and solutions available to intergovernmental bodies to promote more effective and ultimately more democratic responses to the pandemic.