Province of Azuay

Why are local and regional governments essential to promote, fulfill and respect human rights?

The Province of Azuay views human rights as the cross-cutting foundation that guides public administration, territorial planning, and the construction of sustainable, inclusive, and equitable development. Our vision as a Human Rights Territory is based on the recognition that all people, without discrimination, should have effective access to opportunities, public services, participation, and dignified living conditions that enable them to fully develop their potential.

Local and regional governments are essential for promoting, respecting, and guaranteeing human rights because they are the level of government closest to the people. They are the institutions with first-hand knowledge of the needs, challenges, and potential of their territories, allowing universal human rights principles to be translated into concrete public policies, tangible actions, and public services that directly improve people's daily lives.

From this perspective, the Provincial Government of Azuay understands that promoting human rights extends beyond protecting civil and political rights. It also requires guaranteeing economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights. This commitment is reflected in initiatives aimed at strengthening access to water, food security, adequate housing, education, social inclusion, gender equality, citizen participation, environmental protection, and resilience to climate change.

Our vision also recognizes the cultural, ethnic, territorial, and generational diversity of the province. Accordingly, we promote policies and programmes that foster the inclusion of women, young people, older persons, Indigenous peoples and nationalities, rural communities, and people in situations of human mobility, ensuring that no one is left behind in the development process.

Local and regional governments also play a fundamental role in building more democratic and participatory societies. Their proximity to the population facilitates dialogue, shared responsibility, and citizen participation, strengthening public trust in institutions and ensuring that public policies effectively respond to the real needs of communities.

Furthermore, in the face of global challenges such as climate change, inequality, poverty, and migration, territories are strategic actors in implementing innovative solutions that integrate human rights with environmental sustainability and economic development. In Azuay, we promote a development model that protects ecosystems, strengthens local economies, and improves people's quality of life, recognizing that there can be no sustainable development without human rights, nor can human rights be fully guaranteed without a sustainable territory.

As a Human Rights Territory, we aspire to consolidate a province where human dignity, social justice, equal opportunities, citizen participation, and respect for nature constitute the fundamental pillars of public administration. Our commitment is to continue building a more inclusive, resilient, and supportive Azuay, where everyone can fully exercise their rights and actively contribute to the development of their communities.

Why are human rights meaningful values and a useful framework for guiding local action?

Human rights embody a set of universal values that place human dignity at the centre of public action. They therefore provide a fundamental framework for guiding the work of local and regional governments, enabling them to design policies, programmes, and projects focused on guaranteeing well-being, equal opportunities, inclusion, and social justice for all.

As the level of government closest to citizens, local and regional governments are uniquely positioned to directly identify the needs and challenges faced by communities and to implement practical responses that contribute to the effective realization of human rights. This approach ensures that territorial planning and the provision of public services are guided not only by administrative or economic considerations, but also by the principles of equality, participation, non-discrimination, transparency, and accountability.

Human rights also provide a comprehensive vision of development, recognizing that access to water, healthcare, education, housing, mobility, citizen participation, a healthy environmeant, and gender equality are all essential elements for ensuring a dignified life. Under this approach, local actions can generate lasting and sustainable impacts, particularly for people and communities in situations of vulnerability.

Moreover, the human rights framework strengthens democratic governance by promoting the active participation of citizens in decision-making and in the collective development of solutions to territorial challenges. This helps build greater trust in public institutions, strengthens social cohesion, and contributes to more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable territories.

In the Province of Azuay, human rights serve as a cross-cutting guide for public administration, informing initiatives related to social inclusion, environmental protection, rural development, citizen participation, support for priority groups, and the promotion of opportunities for all. In this way, human rights represent not only a set of ethical principles, but also a practical tool for building more just, equitable territories committed to the well-being of present and future generations.