![]() These individuals have a goal of advancing justice by empowering people with the legal and civic knowledge, skills, and confidence to bring about positive change for themselves and others (Annual Report, 3 Street Law, 1). The organization is comprised of tens of thousands of lawyers, law students, teachers, and high school students. Street Law aims to educate young people about law and government through developing classroom and community programs (Street Law, 1). “The goal was and is to teach non-lawyers, especially high school students, their legal rights and to empower them to become active, informed citizens in their society” (O’Brien, 1). In response to growing concerns over ethics, institutional capacity and poor governance in South Africa, Street Law, a global non-partisan and non-profit organization, implemented a ‘Democracy for All’ civic education programme to teach high school students and adults “the principles of democracy.” These principles include how government works in a democracy, checking the abuse of power, citizen participation and elections (). Types of Interaction Among Participants Discussion, Dialogue, or Deliberation Storytelling Listen/Watch as Spectator Decision Methods Not Applicable Communication of Insights & Outcomes Public Hearings/Meetings Type of Organizer/ManagerĮvidence of Impact Yes Implementers of Change Lay Public ![]() Targeted Demographics Youth Students Facilitators Yes Facilitator Training Trained, Nonprofessional Facilitators Face-to-Face, Online, or Both Open to All With Special Effort to Recruit Some Groups ![]() A Rule of Law: Also called due process of law, the rule of law is the principle that all citizens are accountable to laws that are publicly created and equitably enforced in a manner consistent with human rights by an independent judicial system.Specific Topics Higher Education Human Rights Location South Africa Scope of Influenceĭevelop the civic capacities of individuals, communities, and/or civil society organizations.In this context, human rights are those rights considered inherent to all human beings, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other considerations. Human Rights: Along with their constitutionally enumerated rights freedoms, democracies protect the human rights of all citizens.Separation of Powers: Based on a suspicion of power concentrated in a single individual-like a king-or group, the constitutions of most democracies provide that political powers be separated and shared among the various governmental entities.Health democracies enable and encourage the people to take part in their political and civic processes. Public Participation: Democracies rarely survive without the active participation of the people.An Electoral System: Since according to the principle of popular sovereignty, the people are the source of all political power, a clearly defined system of conducting free and fair elections is essential. ![]() Popular sovereignty: The principle that the government is created and maintained by the consent of the people through their elected representatives.Statics show that the percentage of democracies among the world’s governments has been increasing since the mid-1970s, currently standing just short of its post- World War II high of 58% in 2016. In 2018, for example, a total of 96 out of 167 countries (57%) with populations of at least 500,000 were democracies of some type. When creating laws and policies, the elected representatives in a democracy strive to balance conflicting demands and obligations to maximize freedom and protect individual rights.ĭespite the prominence in the headlines of non-democratic, authoritarian states like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, democracy remains the world’s most commonly practiced form of government.In most democracies, the needs and wishes of the people are represented by elected lawmakers who are charged with writing and voting on laws and setting policy.While democracies come in several forms, they all feature competitive elections, freedom of expression, and protection of individual civil liberties and human rights.Democracy, literally meaning “rule by the people,” empowers individuals to exercise political control over the form and functions of their government.
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