World Forum for Democratization in Asia
Seoul Declaration on Democracy and Economic and Social Justice
Adopted on 18 September 2009 at the close of the Third Biennial Conference of the World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA) in Seoul, South Korea (16-18 September 2009).
I. Introduction
1. We, more than 200 participants from over 20 countries in Asia, met in Seoul on 16-18 September 2009 at the Third Biennial Conference of the World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA), which was convened by the WFDA Steering Committee and hosted by a consortium of leading Korean academic institutions led by the Democracy and Social Movements Institute of Sungkunghoe University, with support from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, TIFA Foundation, Korea Democracy Foundation, May 18 Memorial Foundation, and the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea.
2. During the three-day meeting, we as democracy advocates and human rights activists identified and assessed issues and challenges we faced in our work for democratization in Asia, in particular evaluating the second WFDA Framework for Action in light of developments in the region since the Second Biennial Conference in Manila in 2007.
3. We recall and reaffirm our previous Taipei Declaration on Democracy in Asia (17 September 2005) andthe Manila Declaration on Democracy and Peace (21 September 2007). Further, we commit ourselves to the WFDA Framework for Action 2009-2011.
4. We are saddened by the loss, immediately before we gathered in Seoul, of two great pioneers of democracy in Asia, former President Corazon C. Aquino of the Philippines and former President Kim Dae-jung of our host country, South Korea. We mourn their passing, remembering their courage in the face of terrible adversity. We pledge ourselves to pursuing their vision of a world where all Asians can live in freedom, peace and democracy.
5. We note with alarm, however, that despite the legacy of these two heroes and many others, democratic momentum seems to have stalled. Significant reversals of democracy have occurred in Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Thailand and the Philippines. Situations in Burma, East Turkestan, Sri Lanka and Tibet have distressingly deteriorated. Meanwhile, the non-democratic states of China, Laos, North Korea, Singapore and Vietnam are consolidating their control and expanding their influence. Further, a number of democratic states continue to take anti-democratic measures and some of them have been witnessing increased armed conflicts and violations of human rights and humanitarian laws because of failure to address deficits of democracy.
6. We alsorecognize that democracy is being undermined by a failure to deliver economic and social justice to the peoples of Asia, in particular marginalized or excluded populations including women, minorities (racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic, sexual, and others), indigenous peoples, the disabled, refugees, internally displaced peoples, dalits and – always and everywhere – the poor.
7. We are concerned that the recent economic and financial crisis has intensified the pressures on all vulnerable groups. This makes it more urgent to overcome the threats to democracy posed by vested and unaccountable interests, domestic and international, usually supported by corrupt linkages between landed aristocracies or dynasties, businesses and political elites.
8. We reaffirm our belief in not only procedural democracy but also substantive democracy, which focuses not just on formal structures and legal rights, but also on provision of opportunities and resources, so as to make rights truly meaningful and to secure fair and equitable distribution of outcomes. Ensuring the fulfillment of the rights of the most deprived and vulnerable is a basic guiding principle that unites and informs the work of WFDA.
II. Resolution
In recognition of the state of democracy in the region, WFDA chose the theme for our Third Biennial, "Sustaining Democracy in Asia: Challenges of Economic and Social Justice." We take this occasion to emphasize the indissoluble link between democracy and economic and social justice, in our region and around the world. We call for a movement to "democratize democracy" in Asia. In particular, we resolve the following:
1) Economic and social rights are of equal importance to civil and political rights, and together they are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.
2) Genuine economic and social justice cannot be imposed from above; rather, it derives from the empowerment of each citizen, so that none are excluded.
3) Economic and social justice must be based on the principle of non-discrimination and equality of men and women.
4) All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development, including the right to choose their leaders, change the constitution, and to control the land and other natural resources.
5) The rule of law and an independent judiciary are vital institutions which must be nurtured in order to provide effective remedies to victims of all types of human rights violations, not least those against economic and social rights.
6) Governments should take effective measures to reduce social and economic inequalities by implementing a rights-based approach to economic policymaking, e.g. through employment creation, social safety net programs and other social security systems. Such policymaking must be transparent and open to the participation of elected parliaments, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.
7) Lasting solutions must include the realization of the ability of marginalized or disenfranchised groups to participate openly in all institutions, public and private, that take decisions affecting their economic and social rights.
8) We reaffirm the inalienable freedom of all persons to speech, assembly, and association, in order to be able to articulate their own economic and social needs. We further affirm that all associations should be free to decide whether or not to register their associations with the state.
9) In view of the strongly age-hierarchical cultural context in Asia and recognizing the right of young men and women to participate in determining their present and future, we urge governments to allow and enable inclusive and egalitarian youth-friendly spaces and support youth-led processes and social, cultural, economic, and political empowerment of youth.
10) Recognizing that women face specific obstacles to economic empowerment, governments should take all appropriate measures to promote equality between men and women and comply with the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and other international instruments. Governments and other stakeholders should promote women’s equal participation and positive role models in not only political but also social and economic life.
11) Stimulus packages and other major economic programs must be carried out without favor and must also address the specific needs of the most vulnerable groups. Greater vigilance and oversight is needed to eliminate corruption in the delivery and implementation of such programs. Governments should commit to providing timely and comprehensive data about these programs to the public, and support the work of civil society in monitoring the performance of stimulus packages of all countries in the medium and long-term.
12) Meaningful democratic governance requires agrarian and land reforms to eliminate feudal-like controls of land and resources, with particular emphasis on ensuring effective land rights for women, as well as protection from land-grabs and forced evictions.
13) Democratically organized and independent labor unions are an essential component of civil society and a vital channel for expressing the needs of workers. Asian countries need to take necessary steps to strengthen collective bargaining systems, not only in workplaces but also at industrial and national levels, to ensure that employers and workers are sharing the burden of difficult economic and social choices fairly.
14) Particular care must be taken to ensure the rights of migrant workers, whether documented or undocumented, who are often unable to access judicial and other remedies. Such access must also be granted to refugees, foreign spouses, the stateless, and other non-nationals.
15) Religious freedom is essential to the enjoyment of economic and social rights, especially in non-democratic countries where religious movements are often the sole voices of civil society. Governments should guarantee full freedom of religious activity, including the conduct of charitable and humanitarian programs which contribute to the people’s economic and social welfare.
16) We will practice and promote a culture of social inclusion through our work, individually and collectively, as we strive together to deepen and broaden the spirit of enduring Asian solidarity.
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