Vasiliki Germanakou

Contact: Vasiliki.Germanakounuigalway.ie

Qualifications: B.A. in Political Science & Public Administration ( University of Athens, Greece ), MA in International Relations ( University of Indianapolis, USA ), MA in Human Rights and Democratization ( University of Malta )

Vasiliki Germanakou is a Doctoral Fellow at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. Her research focuses on the internal aspect of self-determination and its relevance with the realization of democratic governance.

Substantiating the Right to Democratic Governance: Internal Self-determination as a Means of Empowerment

Self-determination emerged as a notion along the general philosophical, political and historical circumstances and evolved to become a principle of the general international law and thereafter part of the international human rights law. Due to its political character and association with nationalism, secession and conflict the international community in an effort to constrain its dynamic and disruptive character has developed a parallel internal aspect for its application. Accordingly, internal self-determination is the right of all peoples, to freely determine their socio-economic status through participation in the state's political decision-making process, directly linked with the principles of democracy. Is the right to regulate, protect and affirm an active participation by the guarantee of a liberal, transparent and accessible government that has as a priority the safety and prosperity of all its peoples.

Internal self-determination in practice is linked with every citizen's right to take part in the conduct of public affairs and government, to participate in elections, and have equal access to public service. Similarly, democracy etymologically, describes the political system in which the power of governance belongs and depends on the peoples' consent and will. It is the right to participate in the political processes of the state by practice of the civil and political rights, such as the freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly and vote. Internal self-determination accordingly, can be argued that is synonymous to democracy, when focusing to their common normative elements.

In recent years, there is a clear international tendency and consensus on promoting the democratic system and an effort, mainly from the ’West' to democratize states and nations. Liberal democracy, in both international law and international political forum has gained the status as the political system to best safeguard and promote the human rights of all peoples. Self-determination placed as article 1 in both International Human Rights Covenants, suggests that its application is an effective guarantee and observance of all individual rights. Moreover, it is provided that state-parties should describe their constitutional and political processes and take positive measures for the respect and protection of the right. Entitlement to self-determination could mean guarantee of internal stability and protection of all citizens regardless the multi-ethic character of a state or historical complexity. Self-determination affiliated with the principles of democracy can accommodate in preventing or assisting to decay internal diversities that could lead to a collective claim to self-determination, meaning a possible territorial disturbance. Internal self-determination provides a continuous entitlement to the right, without any distinction either due group's number or distinct identity and culture. A guarantee for everybody to equally and actively participate in the decision-making process of a government is a guarantee of an effective Democracy that can also mean a guarantee for the protection of all civil and political rights of the people.

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