Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo's
Remarks at the Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation
Geneva, 10 December 2025
Distinguished members of the Convening Committee,
Representatives of endorsing organizations,
Colleagues and friends,
It is a great honour to welcome you, on behalf of the United Nations, to this anniversary meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.
As the Secretary-General observed [in his video remarks], the principles in the Declaration are as valid as when they were adopted twenty years ago.
But the world in which we try to apply these principles has changed almost beyond recognition.
In most countries elections go smoothly and result in peaceful transfers of power. But today, democracy faces challenges that we did not foresee in 2005, such as cyber threats, and the effects of profound geopolitical shifts.
We also continue to face more familiar headwinds, often engineered by incumbents to stay in power irrespective of the popular will. These include political polarization, information manipulation, violence, shrinking civic space, suppression of opposition voices, and logistical hurdles.
Too many elections follow the letter of the law but don’t involve a genuine, inclusive process. People don’t feel heard or represented. They lose trust in their governments and in each other.
I am pleased that you will have the opportunity at this meeting to reflect in depth on how the electoral observation community can navigate these complexities.
Excellent background papers have already been prepared to inspire conversation but allow me to add some thoughts of my own to the mix.
Taking the categories offered by the Secretary-General, let me ask you how the election observation community can adapt or contribute.
First, transparency.
The challenges of new technologies and information integrity are clear. What is less clear is how to distinguish election-related disinformation from “general” disinformation, and, thus where responsibility lies for tackling the problem.
The observation community can make an important contribution by further defining its role in the realm of information integrity, and by developing new methodologies to match the complexities.
Second, participation and inclusion.
We look to States to implement their commitments to the equal treatment of men and women, and to the inclusion of minorities and persons with disabilities.
Your findings and recommendations on these issues are critical, particularly to keep attention focused on commitments made.
And these goals can also guide observation missions themselves. How can the composition of observation teams model the ideals of inclusion?
Young people deserve special consideration. This past year we have again seen the consequences when young generations feel systemically excluded from politics.
The call for governments to integrate the voices of youth is not new.
But it needs to be heard even more clearly and urgently, including from observers and the assistance community.
As a basis for better analysis and policy design, the UN has begun encouraging electoral authorities to publish voter and candidate data disaggregated by age and gender.
I would welcome your support for this, including similar encouragements through your recommendations.
Third, protection.
The election observation community also faces extreme pressures, including threats and acts of violence.
I hope that this gathering will enable you to share lessons on how to manage these impediments to your work and to find solidarity in this community.
Which brings me to the fourth area, namely partnership.
When the Declaration was adopted, it had twenty-one endorsing organizations. Today we have fifty-four.
As the Secretary-General recalled, the UN is seeing growing demand for electoral assistance. In an increasingly complex global context, this places an ever-higher premium on working effectively together.
Which is why I am so pleased to see you all gathered here on this anniversary.
I trust that you will come away from these two days with a shared sense of how the Declaration can remain part of the normative scaffolding of genuine elections.
May your discussions in the coming days be productive, forward-looking, and guided by the same spirit of collaboration that inspired the Declaration twenty years ago.
Thank you.
