As 2024 begins, democracy is in crisis around the world. Across the globe, autocratic regimes are using new tactics to dismantle democratic institutions and crack down on human rights defenders and independent media. The result is a global setback for fundamental freedoms and a growing threat to regional stability and prosperity. As democratic norms are replaced by autocratic practices, treaties and alliances crumble, nations and entire regions become unstable, and violent extremists gain more space to operate.
As an example, in Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen launched a brutal crackdown on opposition politicians and the press ahead of national elections this year. The government shuttered the independent Cambodia Daily, pushed radio stations off the air, and charged opposition leader Kem Sokha with treason, in a slew of blows to free speech. The country’s democracy rating has fallen from Partly Free to Not Free.
The same story plays out in countries like Russia and Vietnam, where repressive leaders weaponize the courts to jail opponents and dismantle civil society organizations. The same is true in places like Hungary and Poland, where populist leaders are seeking to consolidate power by uprooting democratic institutions and smearing critics in the media. And repressive states like Saudi Arabia and Belarus target human rights defenders at home and overseas.
To reverse the trend, we must learn to coordinate our efforts at the local and global levels. That means building global partnerships to protect electoral processes, harmonizing legal standards and coordinating digital defenses. It also means elevating local leadership—supporting reformist presidents, city mayors and activists fighting to expand accountability from the ground up. The actions in this guide can help, but they should be paired with a larger commitment to civic engagement, including building your network of fellow citizens and connecting with people who think differently from you.
About the Author
