Members of Salvadoran human rights group Cristosal in Guatemala City on July 17, as they announce that it has been forced into exile.JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Ryota Jonen was the director of the World Movement for Democracy. Odette McCarthy is the executive director of the human rights organization Equitas. Ben Rowswell is the convenor of the Circle for Democratic Solidarity.
The forces of authoritarianism are on the march. On July 17, Cristosal, a human rights organization and Canadian embassy partner supporting internally displaced women and families, was forced to abandon El Salvador after 25 years. “We have been forced to leave the country that was our first home,” the organization announced. One colleague was recently arrested, and others faced threats.
Authoritarian governments exploit crises – gang violence, migration, a war – to tighten their grip on power. Like powerful currents that cross all boundaries, authoritarians don’t recognize borders. From Hungary to El Salvador, from Tanzania to Serbia, Russia and China, we are witnessing sophisticated repressive tactics targeting civic groups, philanthropies, private companies, universities, lawyers – any independent voice that dares to speak against power. This authoritarian trend is also on the rise in the United States.
But all authoritarians share a common fear: a fear of their own people. Because when citizens unite around a common cause, they can overwhelm the power of any despot.
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In June, 50 democracy champions from more than 30 countries – predominantly from the Global South – gathered to identify how to assert the power of citizens over autocrats. Despite their different backgrounds, the group concluded that this moment demands a reimagining of democracy itself.
These conversations revealed something powerful: when people from across the world unite with shared vision, they become a force of nature. Democratic transformation does not come from navigating existing currents – it comes from recognizing that diverse groups working together with intention can generate the momentum needed to shift entire political landscapes.
Canada recently demonstrated this force of nature. Faced with the threat of annexation by the U.S. administration, citizens across Canada got their elbows up. Canadians expressed their collective will and transformed the politics of the country overnight.
This moment of national political mobilization captured the essence of today’s new democracy movements. In place of the polarization plaguing traditional politics, we saw the circle of change-makers expand to include not just parliamentarians and community leaders, but youth and elders, artists and entrepreneurs, faith communities and secular activists, business leaders and social movements.
Traditional approaches to support democracy – relying on governments and international institutions – aren’t keeping up with the speed and sophistication of modern authoritarianism. As those institutional actors stumble, large and inclusive coalitions across society show greater capacity to lead.
Canada’s collaborative approach offers a template for the kind of global democratic partnership the world desperately needs. So how can Canada help build it?
The answer emerged from those conversations among these 50 democracy champions from around the world. They recognized that we can’t wait for institutions to save us. We can create the momentum to counter the authoritarians.
They are creating a Global Freedom Charter – a collective agreement about the kind of momentum we want to create together, connecting democratic principles and human rights: clean water, food security, economic opportunity and safety from violence.
Democracy defenders have too often let authoritarians control the narrative. But we can win it back. Creative storytelling, human connection, and locally grounded voices can shift political dynamics in ways authoritarians cannot. When we connect democracy to human rights, dignity and prosperity – when we make it personal – we create the conditions for transformation.
In a leaderless world, democracy’s future depends on communities of people who understand that they can create their own momentum. The opposing forces are real – authoritarian regimes are collaborating across continents.
But just as Canada has shown the world, citizens in country after country are discovering their own power to drive change. From Bangladesh to Kenya citizens are moving together with shared intention – and changing not just what is possible, but what is inevitable.
Canada must help lead this global effort. By investing in global democratic connections, we can build stable societies, reliable alliances and stronger economies.
Canada has already inspired the world with its defence of democracy. Now is the moment to stand with citizens around the world who are fighting to defend theirs.