But to achieve our goals of democratic transformation of global decision-making, the campaign needs to be taken up more actively by many more organisations. Accountability is the central demand of Charter 99. Public accountability gives people more ways of holding officials and agencies responsible for their actions. Without accountability, there can be no real responsibility. Accountability has to be a central issue for all international campaigns, from international debt, human rights and peace to the environment, trade and corporate governance, because public accountability is the way in which 'we the people' ensure that international agencies carry out their commitments under Article 1 of the UN Charter, the Human Rights Declaration and covenants, Agenda 21, and the many other pledges made by governments over the years.
Active accountability is in some ways more important for democracy than elected decision-makers.
Elections are an essential aspect of accountability, but without public scrutiny elections can also legitimise unequal and exclusive decision-making. Charter 99 is producing a briefing paper on international accountability for UN delegations in New York, a draft of which is enclosed with this Bulletin. Contributions and comments welcome. In calling the Millennium Summit, Kofi Annan is taking the initiative to strengthen and deepen the role of the United Nations in international affairs. The role of civil society is vital in encouraging universal participation in the international treaty framework and advancing the rule of law, and contributing to the goals of peace, human rights and human security envisioned in the UN Charter.