At its heart, democracy is legitimate governmental authority that derives from a body of citizens, regardless of gender, race, religion, national, ethnic, or social origin, or political or other opinion.

According to the Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, although all civilizations feature different forms of democracy, the concept is a disputed one and there exists a multiplicity of perspectives in understanding its content.

While democracy is a universal concept with varied manifestations, its advantages over other forms of government have come to be accepted globally in recent decades and is widely argued to be essential for the fulfillment of individual and collective aspirations, the articulation of interests, and the nurturing of civil society