Patrick Braouezec, Co-President of the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights will make UCLG’s voice, before the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, on the occasion of the official presentation of the report on the "Role of local governments in promoting and protecting human rights".
On September 22, on the occasion of the 30th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, a report on the role of local governments in promoting and protecting human rights will be presented. Since 2014, the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights of UCLG has been actively participating in the drafting of this report by the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council.
An important step towards the recognition of the role of Local Government in the promotion and protection of Human Rights
This report marks an important step towards the recognition of the advocacy work to promote human rights in cities, carried out by local governments involved in the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights of UCLG for ten years.
The final version of the report acknowledges the crucial role of decentralization for localizing democracy and human rights and reaffirms the shared and complementary duties of States and local government to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. Indeed, local authorities are often those who translate international and national human rights obligations into practical actions through their public policies. Because of their proximity to citizens, local governments are the ones most likely to generate a real impact on all aspects related with the guarantee of rights such as education, housing, health, freedom of expression, culture, promoting directly equality and inclusion, and protecting minorities. The report also recalls that local governments should have the necessary means and resources in order to achieve such impact.
The report also mentions tools promoted by the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights, such as: the European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the city, the Global Charter Agenda for Human Rights in the City and Gwangju guiding principles for a Human Rights City.
Furthermore, the report explores the concept of the Right to the City, as a way to ensure the equitable use of cities according to principles of sustainability, democracy, equity and social justice. Tools such as Brazil’s City Statute, Montreal Charter of Rights and Responsibilities, Mexico City Charter for the Right to the City and the World Charter for the Right to the City are also referred as cornerstones within this topic.
CSIPDHR will make UCLG’s voice in the presentation of the Report in Geneva
The Co-President of the CSIPDHR, Patrick Braouezec (President of Plaine - Commune, France) will represent UCLG before the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, in the official presentation of the report.
In his speech, he will invite Member States of the United Nations Human Rights Council to continue to promote the Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City, and implement independent monitoring mechanisms. He will also recommend that conclusions taken by the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council should be inserted in the New Urban Agenda (Habitat III), so that local governments, together with civil society, are recognized as essential players in ensuring human rights in their communities, and that the human rights approach in governance is promoted.
In addition, the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights will participate to a side-event on the report organized by the Republic of Korea, on September 18.
For more information about the event, please access: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/HRCIndex.aspx