The UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights (UCLG-CSIPDHR) is an international platform bringing together local and regional government representatives from across the world to debate, share and advance collective initiatives on social inclusion, participatory democracy and human rights.
As a thematic committee of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the CSIPDHR aspires to articulate the common voice of the world organization of local and regional governments on key issues encompassing this vast thematic agenda, with a view to realize the right to the city in worldwide cities and urban territories.
The Committee fosters local government collective thinking and action on pressing human rights issues at the local level (such as housing, women rights or the social inclusion of migrants) through political debates, advocacy campaigns and learning initiatives. To this end, the Committee works in close cooperation with the rest of the UCLG network, as well as civil society and academia partners, the UN human rights system and other city networks.
« United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) is the world organization of cities and local, regional, and metropolitan governments and their associations. It’s main mission is to represent, defend and amplify the voice of local and regional governments at the world stage, and to be a global advocate of local democracy and decentralization »
The origins of the Committee lie in the first editions of the Forum of Local Authorities (FAL) held in parallel to the World Social Forums in the early 2000s. A pioneer group of local governments met in this context to discuss with civil society on the main challenges of the urban era from a social justice perspective - Indeed, the FAL motto ended up becoming:
« Another world is possible and it starts in the city »
After the foundation of the international organization of local governments (United Cities and Local Governments) in 2004, member-local governments of the FAL decided to establish a permanent structure within it. This decision lead to the creation of the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion and Participatory Democracy back in 2005.
Since 2011, the Committee would recognize human rights as a working area of its thematic agenda. The Committee would then adopt its current title of UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights. This landmark decision was marked by UCLG’s adoption of the Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City.
Ever since this moment, the Committee continued to play a key role in fostering local government networking on human rights issues, undoubtedly contributing to the consolidation of the human rights cities movement.
Throughout Habitat III (2016), the Committee contributed to articulate local government and civil society campaigning efforts promoting the right to the city vision as a transformative approach to global agendas on sustainable urban development. As a result of this process, the right to the city would become a key guiding vision for UCLG's social inclusion agenda, as well as a cooperation framework with community-led initiatives.
Below you will find various lists. The main one presents all member-local governments of our Committee (reach cisdp1@uclg.org to express your interest in joining). The other two represent different groups of local government working together on thematic initiatives promoted by our Committee: the European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City and the Cities for Adequate Housing Declaration.
The Forum of Peripheral Local Authorities (FALP) is an informal network of local governments representing working-class peripheral neighborhoods and cities from across the world. It’s stated mission is to support the exchange of experiences between urban territories sharing similar backgrounds and priorities on social inclusion and solidarity issues.
The Global Platform for the Right to the City (GPR2C) is an open network of civil society and local government organizations committed to political action and social change through the promotion, defense and fulfillment of the right to the city, paying special attention to people and communities affected by exclusion and marginalization.
The Global Social Economy Forum is a global social and solidarity economy (SSE) network that aims to serve as a hub for sharing visions and experiences through cross-border collaboration and cooperation based on multilateral (public-private-community) partnerships for an inclusive, equitable and human centered world.
The International Observatory on Participatory Democracy (IOPD) is an international network open to all cities, organizations and research centers interested in learning about, exchanging and applying experiences of participatory democracy at the local level. It was founded in 2001 and works with UCLG since 2006.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the leading UN entity on human rights, entrusted by the General Assembly with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people. It provides technical expertise and capacity-development, assists governments and supports individuals to claim their rights.
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) is a research and academic institution with offices, programmes and convening power covering 40 countries. It combines evidence-based human rights research with direct engagement in close collaboration with partners to bring about human rights change for all.