Yemeni journalist and peace prize winner Tawakkol Karman launched a plea for mercy in Syria during the World Forum for Democracy as she told of her “despair” at the human suffering.

 

Speaking at the open ceremony, Ms Karman called for support for the Syrian people, and for the UN to act wherever injustice was found.  Governments worldwide must commit to international rights law to create change in a world where liberty was being trampled by dictators, she said.

 

Democracy and development go hand in hand, Ms Karman told the Forum. The hopes of the UN Rio summit of 1992 had not materialised, and despotism and corruption were still rife; leaving development goals trailing behind. Globalisation should be made to work for the good, and provide positive change even for the weakest in society. Women, especially, must be given support to participate in democracy, with gender equality and freedom of expression a pre-requisite for democracy, she said.