This year’s International Day of Democracy theme, From Voice to Action reminds us that democracy is only as strong as peoples’ ability to shape the decisions that impact their lives. 

As illustrated in the report Civic Engagement in Action: Stories from the Field, inclusion and participation are the backbone of UNDP’s governance work. From amplifying the voices of persons with disabilities in Argentina, to connecting young people with parliamentarians in Timor-Leste, UNDP’s commitment is clear. Every voice counts.

Yet here’s the challenge. While participation is essential, it’s also hard. Policymakers everywhere face a ‘participation conundrum’. Peoples’ involvement is critical, yet complex and challenging. 

The barriers we must break

Through decades of work with partners, we’ve identified six persistent obstacles that hinder effective participation:

• Power asymmetries: Inequality is always in the room. Some voices carry far more weight, while others struggle to be heard. It is essential to design processes that level the playing field so that everyone has an opportunity to speak and be heard.
• Complexity: Policy issues are often complex and technical. Dialogue must be structured so that it is rigorous and accurate, while still being accessible and inclusive.
• Polarization: When societies are divided, dialogue becomes fraught. Inclusive decision-making is challenging where people do not recognize the legitimacy of other points of view.
• Trust deficits: Trust is notoriously fragile. Institutions must work harder than ever to model transparency, integrity, and responsiveness.
• Conflicting time horizons: Policymaking often requires long-term thinking, while people often seek immediate results. Bridging these horizons is vital to keep engagement meaningful.
• Speed and scale: Genuine participation requires resources and time. In a fast-paced world, it is difficult to reconcile the need for speed and scale with the time and resource limitations of public institutions.

These are not abstract concerns. They are lived realities worldwide. And unless they are addressed, even well-intentioned participation risk exclusion, frustration or outright failure.

From challenges to opportunities

The first step in addressing these challenges is ensuring respect for all human rights, including the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Civic spaces must be safeguarded, and information environments must remain transparent, open and reliable.

Beyond this, we know that participation must evolve. Peoples’ expectations are changing. Communities demand faster, more accessible and more impactful ways to engage. Technology, social innovation and new governance models all have a role to play.

UNDP’s global approach

UNDP is leaning into the challenge of innovation in participation:

• Working in close collaboration with a range of global partners, we’re exploring deliberative approaches such as citizens’ assemblies, spaces for thoughtful debate designed to restore trust between people and institutions. At the same time, we’re considering how to apply behavioural insights to support public communicators and the media in promoting constructive public debate, including on highly complex and polarizing issues.
• Our regional hubs are promoting innovative approaches to support country-level work. The UNDP Regional Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean is leading work on participatory foresight methodologies as a foundation for intergenerational dialogue. In Asia-Pacific, our work examines power dynamics and young people’s pathways to influence within climate governance.
• Dozens of UNDP country offices, often supported by the Accelerator Lab network, are driving experimentation, creating practical models that can be scaled up and replicated. In Iraq, big data has been used to trigger new conversations on the social contract. In North Macedonia, AI-powered collaborative urban planning tools are being used to design cities that respond to citizen priorities. In South Africa, citizen science is empowering people to collect and interpret data that shapes policy.

Digital democracy in the age of AI

Digital transformation is reshaping how societies interact. Participation is no exception. Platforms that didn’t exist a few decades ago are now central to how people express their views and mobilize for change. But digitalization brings risks alongside opportunities. Misinformation, exclusion and surveillance threaten to undermine democratic dialogue.

To navigate this evolving landscape, UNDP has partnered with People Powered to produce a Guide to Digital Participation Platforms. It offers policymakers and civil society practical insights on designing digital engagement that is safe, inclusive and effective. Crucially, it also highlights how AI can support participation while underscoring the need for safeguards to prevent abuse.

The road ahead

Democracy has always been an ongoing journey, one that constantly requires us to question assumptions, adapt approaches and innovate for the future. At a time when democratic governance is under pressure worldwide, innovation is not optional, it’s essential.

UNDP will continue to push forward on this journey, working alongside governments, civil society, youth and innovators everywhere. Because ultimately, democracy is not sustained by institutions alone. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reminds us, “democracy is powered by the will of the people—by their voices, their choices, and their participation”.