Bilbao

Why are local and regional governments essential for promoting, fulfilling, and respecting human rights?

In light of the rise of the urban era, emphasizing the human rights framework at the local level becomes even more meaningful to ensure that the new opportunities offered by cities are accessible to all. The goal is to ensure that the social challenges posed by urbanization and globalization are addressed from a local perspective. 

Cities are undergoing a profound transformation—political, economic, cultural, and social—resulting from globalization, migratory flows toward urban centers, the growth of the service sector in cities, and technological advances, particularly in communication, which are reshaping the public sphere. These changes are redefining local administrations as "rights-based administrations" that directly assume responsibilities in the recognition, promotion, and defense of citizens' fundamental rights. 

From the Bilbao Municipality’s perspective, the city is a key space for the promotion and protection of human rights. The local government is the level of government closest to the people, and therefore the one in direct contact with their needs and proposals. Based on this, it has the capacity to implement public policies and design strategies to promote the fulfillment of citizens' rights. Local governments themselves can promote active participation, especially from the most vulnerable groups, thereby fostering inclusion. It is also important to highlight the role of local governments in implementing laws and regulations that protect human rights at the local level. 

In recent years, Bilbao has undergone significant regeneration, both economically and in terms of urban development. Additionally, in order to address challenges such as gender equality, migration, and aging, the Bilbao Municipality has developed a series of strategic instruments and agreements to promote value change, improve social cohesion and quality of life, and guarantee the necessary conditions for the full exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms. 

As stated in the European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City, which Bilbao joined in 2018, and recognizing that international human rights instruments apply to city inhabitants just like any other individuals, we are convinced of the need for municipal governments to commit to guaranteeing public freedoms and fundamental rights for all city residents, in respect of the competencies and powers held. 

Why are human rights relevant values and a useful framework to guide local action?

The sustainable development of the city is no longer linked solely to urbanization models that aim to harmonize growth and development or to environmental actions, but also to the construction of the city as a public space of social coexistence. It becomes a territory that connects citizens of different nationalities, ethnicities, races, religions, languages, or cultures. Consequently, it is tied to policies that extend political, economic, social, and cultural rights within the municipality. 

Defending human rights in a city means ensuring that all people have access to basic services, educational opportunities, healthcare, decent employment, and adequate housing—through an approach that guarantees equality before the law and justice for all city residents. Likewise, when people’s basic rights are protected, an environment is created that supports economic growth, innovation, and social progress. 

In early 2017, the Bilbao Municipality launched the project BILBAO BALIOEN HIRIA – BILBAO CITY OF VALUES, with the aim of developing a Reference Framework of Values in the city. The project views the city not only as an economic engine but also as a driver of social change and human development. It has become a space for analysis, dialogue, reflection, and collaborative work with institutions, social entities, businesses, media, educational centers, and citizens to promote and develop a shared framework of values. (www.balioenhiria.bilbao.eus) 

In 2016, after a prior meeting with the Civic Council of the City of Bilbao—an important consultative and deliberative body for local economic development, strategic planning, and major projects—a Vademecum or Decalogue of Values was created. This has become a fundamental piece of the project as it constitutes the shared reference framework for Bilbao’s values. 

The first of the values chosen by the citizens of Bilbao for this Decalogue was, precisely, Respect for Human Rights. 

As stated in the Bilbao City of Values document, from a political standpoint, human rights are an important tool to promote social and institutional change. Accepting this normative framework means that all social and political realities must be subordinated to the defense of human dignity. This logic has led to the development of legal norms that guarantee human rights, which are placed at the top of the legal hierarchy in our legal system. 

As the governing body of the municipality, the Municipality is responsible, within its competencies, for guaranteeing and promoting the fundamental rights of all individuals residing within its jurisdiction. The Municipality plays a particularly important role in ensuring that the necessary socio-economic and cultural conditions exist for all people, regardless of their circumstances, to live with dignity. 

We therefore believe, without a doubt, that human rights are relevant values and a useful framework to guide our local action.