In addition to being a defining principle of democratic societies, public participation is also expressed as a fundamental human right in various legal instruments. Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that every person has the right to participate in the affairs of the country, either directly or by an elected representative. The right to public participation finds further expression as a human right in Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which states that all citizens have the right ‘to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives’ and to have equal access to public services in the country. In many democracies, the right to public participation is provided for in statutory law, and often closely connected with other democratic rights, such as the right to freedom of association and freedom of assembly.