People

Human rights represent the idea of universality by excellence.  They are an attempt to protect and defend human dignity around the world and should apply to all human beings. While human rights principles have gained more recognition among local governments since the pandemic, so called human rights cities are consolidating their role to guide policy innovation and collective action to fight inequalities, discriminations and build a new social contract with their inhabitants, responding to their needs and fulfilling their basic rights. Beyond the implementation of local experiences and models, human rights cities and territories aim to be a source of inspiration and solidarity for all local and regional governments to move forward fairer in the post-pandemic era and revamp the social contract.
 
Through our work with UN Human Rights, our focus on the Rome Charter, and our endeavours on digital rights we aim to redefine essential rights and ensure that no-one is left behind in the post-COVID era, promoting a form of development that is sustainable, equitable, inclusive and respectful of human rights for all. These new rights are linked with a new type of global citizenship that acknowledges all communities as neighbours and, as such, as right holders and community contributors.
 
Local and Regional Governments have a critical role to play in fulfilling human rights obligations and commitments acknowledged by the UN, such as the universal rights to water and sanitation, adequate housing, education and health, decent work, as well as to participate in public life.
 
The Pact for the Future needs to build on the work of human rights cities all over the world, as we head towards the approval of the next UN Human Rights Council’s resolution on “Local governments and human rights” to be adopted in September-October 2022