One of the fundamental objectives of local-level work undertaken by municipalities is to ensure the well-being and a pleasant living environment for residents by striving to meet essential needs such as cleanliness, transportation, health, and a healthy environment.
The ultimate aim of the municipality's role is to safeguard the dignity of the residents within its territory, and its mission must align with the fundamental human rights, such as human dignity and all the rights that stem from it — namely, access to all basic administrative services, the right to a healthy and dignified life, and the respect for all associated rights.
Respecting human rights and working to enshrine them at the local level is a key indicator of the effectiveness and feasibility of municipal work. Indeed, public activities — whether national or especially local — can only be credible and effective if the universal rights of human beings are fully respected and implemented.
The importance given to the traditional areas of local action, practiced by municipalities worldwide through hygiene, transport, education, and health services, is meaningless if the ultimate goal is not to uphold the dignity of the individual, the family, and the local community as a whole.
Thus, any strategy for local and, in particular, municipal action can hold no real value without integrating a human rights-based approach — regardless of the affiliations, beliefs, or ideological orientations of those engaged in municipal work.
As a local authority, the municipality is committed to promoting the human rights of its citizens and meeting all their needs: a pleasant living environment, a healthy environment and decent housing.
Guided by this conviction, the city of Sfax and its municipal council—working in coordination with other local actors, particularly civil society—have sought, since their inauguration in May 2018, to strengthen the human rights-based approach in its universal dimension and to integrate it into local strategies and policies. This concern became particularly tangible with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis exposed and deepened the vulnerability of the most fragile segments of society—especially immigrants and refugees—who were disproportionately affected by job losses and forced unemployment. In this context, the municipality, together with civil society organizations active in the field of human rights, became a key source of support, offering assistance to help these populations navigate the severe socio-economic hardships brought on by the pandemic.
For all these reasons, the municipality of Sfax, as the level closest to the inhabitants, considers itself concerned by the question of human rights. The municipality supports this campaign and is honored to join it.
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For the first time, the municipal council created a commission for human rights and equal opportunities between the sexes.
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The municipality of Sfax engaged in a campaign to support migrants and refugees during the Covid crisis and supported all local efforts to reduce their suffering.
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The municipality of Sfax is working in coordination with many other municipalities and international and local players to form a pressure force to establish a clear official policy on immigration and asylum and to resolve the problems arising from it.