Last November, UCLG and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) signed an historical cooperation agreement to strengthen the human right cities movements worldwide and enhance the cooperation on this matter between both organizations.
The UN Human Rights Council acknowledged in the past years the growing role of LRGs in the promotion and the protection of human rights through the adoption of several resolutions. UCLG and its Committee on Human Rights (CSIPDHR) actively collaborated to this process and supported the preparation of the last Resolution 45/7 adopted in 2020 by submitting more than twenty contributions to the last report on “Local governments and human rights”.
As requested by the Resolution of 2020, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights launched this month a call for inputs for the preparation of the next report to be published in 2022. The call is a key opportunity to contribute to the preparation of next UN Human Rights Council’s resolution on “Local governments and human rights” and to highlight how LRGs are ensuring their citizens ‘rights, especially by fighting inequalities and discriminations and promoting social inclusion for all. You will find more information on the call here.
Local and regional governments willing to participate in this call are invited to identify key initiatives, challenges faced, and principles guiding them in the promotion and protection of human rights, with a specific focus on “the right to equality and non-discrimination and to the protection of persons in vulnerable and marginalized situations”.
Advocating for human rights cities and territories as source of inspiration and solidarity for all local and regional governments is more important than ever to move forward fairer in the post-pandemic era and revamp the social contract in the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In order to encourage its members to share their experience, the UCLG – CSIPDHR Secretariat developed some suggested questions for reflection, that you will find here below. You may also submit a contribution of your own. All contributions will be published online on the OHCHR website, which is a great opportunity of official visibility.
[Click here to acess the suggested questions prepared by UCLG-CSIPDHR]
Inputs should be submitted to [email protected]; [email protected] and [email protected] by Friday 22 April. Please note that the deadline – initially foreseen on 6 April – was exceptionally extended to enhance participation of the UCLG Constituency.