States in transition: Ensuring equal rights and participation for all

• These are times of significant change and transition. We are inspired by recent developments in many parts of the world, not least in Arab countries. New opportunities have opened up for millions of people, and we see participation by people who have not previously taken part in politics.

• At the same time, there are horrendous examples of conflict as well, like the sectarian conflict we are seeing in Syria.

• We must learn from the good examples, both recent and past. How do we manage inclusion of people who are not usually part of politics? Women are particularly important. We cannot just add women to a male-dominated society and expect that society will stay the same. The relations between women and men must change.

• The relations between majority and minority must also change. Democracy is more than majority rule. There is not one model of democracy, but we must be aware of this fact. Minorities are particularly vulnerable in periods of transition.

• Human rights defenders play an important role here. They help to mobilise people to become engaged in decisions that affect their lives. They are often spokespersons for vulnerable and marginalised groups or for people who are not in a position to defend themselves. We also recognise that human rights defenders are themselves vulnerable in transition phases. There have been countless examples of threats and harassment against human rights defenders as they carry out their work, and we have a common obligation to protect them.

• Timing is also important. Some people tend to believe that you can introduce formal political change first and then expect substantial changes. But formal change has to happen at the same time as substantial change. Inclusion must happen at the same time. Otherwise, there is a risk of simply substituting one elite for another.

• Substantial change means broadening the scope of people who participate in politics. Those who were not used to taking the opinions of others into account have to open up. And those who did not previously participate have to learn the tools of participation, which is more than the ballot box. They must learn how to organise. Having the right to organise does not mean that people know how to organise.

• These are some of the issues that the panel will be addressing today. I encourage both the audience and those following the event on twitter to take part in the discussion. We want to learn more from your experiences on these issues.

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