(English version) 2022 Conference: Human Rights Go Local - What Works (8 February 2022)

On 8 February 2022, an online Conference on Human Rights at the Local and Regional Levels took place under the title “From Intentions to Commitments: Towards the Effective and Sustainable Implementation of Human Rights“. High level politicians, policy-makers and human rights experts gathered online with 400 international guests to lay the groundwork for the future of implementing human rights at the local level.

0:00 Intro
0:04 Opening statements and welcome addresses
20:47 Keynote speech: Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO
36:32 Presentation of the Academy's Outcome Document
42:57 Panel discussion: Opening round
1:05:55 Legislative theatre for transformation
1:08:32 Discussion round: Drivers and Actors of Commitment
1:35:19 Discussion round: Local Development of Commitment
1:57:45 Discussion round: From Commitment to Responsibility
2:10:21 Closing remarks and farewell

On the days before this Conference took place, 70 human rights experts from around the globe participated in the Human Rights Go Local expert Academy, sharing their valuable insights and experiences concerning the drivers and actors of local human rights commitments, the local development of commitment, and the steps that must be taken in the future to achieve true responsibility for human rights. Special emphasis was placed on the voices and perspectives of the next generation, who enjoyed an informal networking session. During this session, several human rights professions were introduced to young participants and highlighted as a crucial means towards advancing human rights locally.

The expertise and best practices gathered during the Academy's discussions are compiled and published in the Academy’s Outcome Document. During the Conference, this Outcome Document was presented and discussed. Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO’s ADG for Social and Human Sciences, held a keynote speech on the importance of local level human rights activities. The following discussion of the Outcome Document was attended by Todd Howland (OHCHR), Rafael Tuts (UN-Habitat), Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos (FRA), Macoura Coulibaly Dao (President of REFELA), Fernanda Gil Lozano (International Center for the Promotion of Human Rights, Buenos Aires, Argentina), Gyonggu Shin (Human Rights Policy Advisor, Gwangju, South Korea) and Elke Kahr (Mayor of Graz, Austria). The basis for the discussion was provided by the Austrian theatre group InterACT (https://www.interact-online.org). The members developed theatrical illustrations of the Outcome Document, depicting common challenges encountered by local governments and solutions based on the Academy's Outcome Document.

The Outcome Document ““From Intentions to Commitments:Towards the Effective and Sustainable Implementation of Human Rights”” is available for download here: https://www.humanrightsgolocal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ACCO22-Outcome-Document.pdf

More information on the Academy and Conference can be found here: https://www.humanrightsgolocal.org/2022/03/09/from-intentions-to-commitments-towards-the-effective-and-sustainable-implementation-of-human-rights/

Please note that this is a simultaneous interpretation of the event. The source language applies.