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Local Government and Human Rights

Local Government and Human Rights. Feb. 26, 2014 Anselmo LEE Executive Director Korea Human Rights Foundation (KHRF). Process in UNHRC. Research proposal : concept paper on local government and human rights adopted at the 9 th session of the HRCAC (Aug. 2012)

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Local Government and Human Rights

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  1. Local Government and Human Rights Feb. 26, 2014 Anselmo LEE Executive Director Korea Human Rights Foundation (KHRF)

  2. Process in UNHRC • Research proposal : concept paper on local government and human rights adopted at the 9th session of the HRCAC (Aug. 2012) • Resolution on local government and human rights adopted at the 24th session of the HRC. (Sept. 2013) • HRCAC’s report to the 27th session of the HRC (Sept. 2014)

  3. Main Points in the Resolution (A/HRC/24/L.2) • National government has the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights while local government has a complementary role to play. • Local government has different forms and functions in every State in accordance with its constitutional and legal system. • The HRCAC is requested to prepare for a research-based report on the role of local government in the promotion and protection of human rights based on the views and inputs from member states and other stake-holders.

  4. Definition of Local Government • A form of public administrationas the lower tier of administration within a given state. • Local governments generally act within powers delegated to them by legislation or directives of the higher level of government (e.g. central, national, federal government). • Local governments exist geographically in urban and rural setting.

  5. Definition of Local Government • Related concepts and terminologies ; • Local authority, local administration, local governance, etc. • de-centralized, autonomous, self-rule, etc. • Sub-national, regional, provisional, communal, grass-roots, • State, District, prefecture, province, county, town, etc. • City, municipality (urban) vs. village (rural)

  6. International and regional initiatives • 2000 European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City • 2011 Dec. : Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) • 2011 May : the 1st World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF), Gwangju, Republic of Korea • 2012 Dec. : the 1st World Summit of Local Governments for the Right to the City, UCLG Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights Committee

  7. Context and background : Why? • Demographic change – rapid urbanization and 70% of urban populations in 2050. • Local responses to global challenges - Inter-local solidarity and cooperation (UCLG, ICLEI, C40, Mayors for Peace, Slow City, etc.) - Glocalisation (global+local)’, - Glurbanization (global+urban)’, “ 3) Human rights response to local (urban-rural) challenges - human rights-based approach (HRBA)” - Water and sanitation, literacy, health, etc.

  8. Context and background : Why? 4) Local implementation of universal human rights - UDHR (1948) -> VDPA (1993) -> UPR (2008-) -> Localizing UDHR - ‘trickle-down’effect - Globalizing human rights from below - responsibility of every individual and every organ of society’

  9. “Human Rights City” • A local community in urban/rural context where human rights play a key role as the fundamental values and guiding principles for local administration and social, economic-cultural lives of all inhabitants. • Two main components. • Human rights in the city (geographical) • Right to the city (political) Henri Lefebvre

  10. “Human Rights City” • Norms: human rights ordinance, human rights charter, etc. • Institutions : Local human rights commission, Human rights office, Ombudsman, etc. • Policy: Human Right Indicators Human rights impact assessment and indicators Human rights code of conduct for civil servant Human rights education

  11. Proposed contents of the Report • Conceptual clarification about local government and ‘human rights city’ • Framework on the role of local government for human rights • International and regional initiatives • Best practices • Main trends and challenges • Recommendations

  12. International Expert Workshop on Local Government and Human Rights • Date: 15 May 2014 • Venue: Gwangju, Republic of Korea • Organized by Metropolitan City of Gwangju and the Korea Human Rights Foundation (KHRF) • Participants : about 20 human rights experts including some members of the HRCAC • Main agenda : concept and context, international initiatives and good practices, challenges and recommendations, etc. • Pre-session before the 4th World Human Rights Cities Forum (16-18 May, 2014)

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