A/HRC/RES/34/41 Taking note of the study of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of 20121 and the outcome of the panel discussion, 2 held on 11 June 2013 during the twenty-third session of the Human Rights Council, both on the theme of common challenges facing States in their efforts to secure democracy and the rule of law from a human rights perspective, Recognizing the link between human rights, democracy, the rule of law and good governance, and recalling the Human Rights Council resolutions and all other resolutions relevant to the role of good governance in the promotion of human rights, Reaffirming that democracy is based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives, Reaffirming also that, while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy and that democracy does not belong to any country or region, and reaffirming further the necessity of due respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to self-determination, Bearing in mind that challenges to democracy arise in all democratic societies, Acknowledging the fundamental importance of education and training for human rights in consolidating democracy and contributing to the promotion, protection and effective realization of all human rights, Underlining that, while States have the primary responsibility for safeguarding and strengthening democracy and the rule of law, the United Nations has a critical role in providing assistance and coordinating international efforts to support States, on their request, in their democratization processes, Urging States to acknowledge the important contribution of civil society and human rights defenders to the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and to ensure a safe and enabling environment for their work, Recognizing the value of a Human Rights Council forum for exchange, dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation on the interrelationship between human rights, democracy and the rule of law, in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter, and acknowledging the importance of existing regional formats in the field of human rights, Stressing that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and in this regard recalling the report of the Secretary-General on strengthening and coordinating United Nations rule of law activities,3 in which the Secretary-General addressed the ways and means of developing further the linkages between the rule of law and the three main pillars of the United Nations, namely, peace and security, human rights, and development, Emphasizing the importance of effective, transparent and accountable legislative bodies, and their fundamental role in the promotion and protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, 1. Welcomes the organization, in November 2016, of the first session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, the theme of which was 1 2 3 2 A/HRC/22/29. See A/HRC/24/54. A/68/213/Add.1.