Strasbourg, 17.03.2010
Promoting and protecting human rights is a responsibility shared by all the tiers of governance but it is in regions and cities that human rights need to be nurtured, and local and regional authorities have a key role to play in their day-to-day application. They must set up structures and procedures to monitor and improve human rights situations, in particular in providing public services.
This is the thrust of a resolution adopted by the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities on 17 March 2010, during its 18th Session in Strasbourg. The resolution came after a debate of the report by Lars O. MOLIN (Sweden, L, EPP/CD). “Local communities represent the fundamental level of democracy, security and welfare,” he said, pointing to the need for local connection when implementing human rights. “There is no good governance and no democracy without compliance with human rights,” added the Rapporteur.
Sharing the experience of his city, Stefan Wolf, Lord Mayor of Weimar (Germany), said that local and regional competences today concern a wide range of areas, such as law and order, education, housing, health and the environment, which are all connected with human rights. His words were echoed by Dieter Von Blarer, Ombudsman for the Canton Basel-city, who was another guest speaker in this debate.
Congress members pointed out that the structure of the Council of Europe provides scope for a multi-tiered approach to human rights, and that the Congress can make an invaluable contribution to the pooling of information and experience, recording of good practices and raising awareness about human rights issues.
The Congress called on local and regional authorities to implement a number of measures, dealing with the elaboration of indicators to gauge the fulfilment of human rights, as well as action plans, and budgeting of human rights action; setting up of independent complaints mechanisms at local level; human rights training for elected representatives and their staff; guarantees of equal access to public services, and a system of their quality control.
In an accompanying recommendation, Congress members asked governments to encourage and support local and regional action on human rights, in particular their monitoring and systematic implementation.
Communication Division of the Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities
Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 52 40
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 27 51
Mail: congress.com@coe.int
Web site: www.coe.int/congress
