Strengthening governance
Strengthening governance is one of Ireland’s key development priorities. Democracy and human rights are central to Ireland’s core values.
Ireland believes in open and inclusive societies. Our work helps to build democratic processes and the rule of law. We promote and protect human rights. We encourage the fostering of a strong civil society.
Inclusive political and economic institutions are the foundation for growth and stability.
Strengthening governance is embedded across our development programme. It is part of how we work.
Ireland believes in the importance of civil society to hold governments to account. We follow through on this in how and what work we fund. Ireland is among the OECD countries allocating the highest proportion of bilateral aid to civil society.
Ireland’s key governance priorities centre around
International cooperation
There is immense pressure on democratic process and institutions all over the world. Many countries with long-practiced democratic principles are backsliding.
Autocratic leaders continue their efforts to maintain or strengthen their control.
This has added urgency to international cooperation on good governance.
Building the involvement of women and young people in political processes is vital.
We support work in strengthening governance through many diverse projects and programmes. This ranges from supporting electoral reform to promoting anti-corruption efforts. We promote civic education. Building the involvement of women and young people in political processes is vital.
Civil society
Civil society space is central to democracy. Ireland works across its development, political and diplomatic engagement, to promote civic space. This includes work in human rights fora, the UN and the EU.
Ireland supports the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance. We are working to implement this Recommendation across our development programme.
Ireland provides funding to organisations that support civil society space. An example is our partnership with Frontline Defenders to provide support to human rights defenders.
At a global level, we continue to support efforts to advance good governance. For example, Ireland engages with the Team Europe Initiative on Democracy (TED). TED is a partnership of 14 EU Member States and the EU Commission. It supports accountability, participation and rule of law, political and civic participation.
Strong accountability and integrity institutions are essential to democracies. They provide extra oversight of our aid expenditure. We support a range of partners working in this area.
Democracies rely on strong institutions. Ireland has longstanding support to entities such as the African Tax Administration Forum.
Elimination of human rights violations
Ireland believes in the elimination of human rights violations. Ireland is a strong supporter of international human rights organisations. This relates to our funding and also our coordination in key fora such as at the Human Rights Council.
Ireland is a credible voice on matters of civil society and democracy. We raise these matters across our diplomatic and development work. On the ground, we deliver where this work is most needed.
Universal human rights
The promotion and protection of universal human rights are an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy. We promote and assist people and communities to realise their rights through:
- Providing access to education, health services, clean water, housing and better governance in our partner countries
- Strengthening partner countries’ institutions, government systems, parliaments, national human rights institutions, and independent media
- Supporting civil society partners who implement development programmes with a rights-based approach
- Supporting the participation and representation of poor people in the UN human rights system, in particular within the Universal Periodic Review mechanism
- Supporting the protection of human rights defenders
- Supporting the prevention of gender-based violence.
- Supporting the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Supporting the Irish Human Rights Commission for their capacity building initiative in Africa
Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Learn more about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guides our promotion of human rights around the world.