Local and Regional Governments as Key Actors in Advancing Human Rights and the SDGs

Local and Regional Governments as Key Actors in Advancing Human Rights and the SDGs

Publication

Human rights start locally. Access to food, security, health, and housing often depends on how local and regional governments (LRGs) implement laws. The Global Cities Hub has long advocated for LRGs’ inclusion in multilateral processes. While an increasing number of HRC resolutions recognize LRGs’ role in protecting human rights, stronger engagement is needed for effective implementation. This publication highlights that despite recent efforts, interaction between international human rights mechanisms and LRGs remains limited. It offers practical strategies and emphasizes the importance of data-driven approaches to help LRGs advance human rights and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Kamelia Kemileva – Co-director, Global Cities Hub

The Academy Briefing No. 25, Localizing Multilateralism: The Role of Local and Regional Governments in Advancing Human Rights and the SDGs, co-authored by Dr. Domenico Zipoli, Kamelia Kemileva, and Dr. Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, explores how cities, municipalities, and regional authorities are becoming key players in global human rights governance. Despite their proximity to communities and their critical role in implementing international human rights standards, LRGs remain underrepresented in multilateral frameworks. It highlights the growing importance of LRGs in human rights monitoring and SDG implementation while outlining key strategies to enhance their engagement with international mechanisms.

The ability of local and regional governments to collect, analyze, and integrate human rights data into national and global monitoring systems is key to ensuring accountability and progress. Investing in digital tools and structured engagement mechanisms will enable LRGs to bridge the gap between international commitments and the realities on the ground.

Dr. Domenico Zipoli – Project Coordinator, Geneva Human Rights Platform

To fully integrate LRGs into human rights and SDG monitoring, the briefing highlights several priority actions:

• Institutionalizing LRGs in National and Global Frameworks
  LRGs should be systematically included in National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRFs), with formalized data-sharing agreements ensuring that local realities are reflected in national and international reporting.
• Strengthening Engagement and Consultation
  LRGs must be given structured opportunities to contribute to human rights and SDG reporting through engagement with UN treaty bodies, the UPR, and national human rights institutions (NHRIs).
• Leveraging Digital Innovation for Human Rights Monitoring
  Investing in AI-driven platforms and interoperable databases will enable LRGs to contribute real-time data, improving the accuracy and accountability of human rights monitoring.
• Enhancing Multilevel Collaboration
  Strengthened coordination between LRGs, national governments, and UN human rights mechanisms is needed to ensure coherent policy implementation.

In times of political uncertainty and weakened central governance, local and regional governments become the frontline guardians of international human rights law. Their commitment to monitoring and implementing human rights is not just a matter of compliance but a sustaining force of the international human rights infrastructure.

Dr. Ludovica Chiussi Curzi – Associate Professor, Department of Legal Studies, University of Bologna

Co-organizers

• Permanent Mission of Paraguay (sponsor)
• Permanent Mission of Italy (co-sponsor)
• Geneva Human Rights Platform
• Global Cities Hub
• Università di Bologna

Speakers

• H.E. Vincenzo Grassi, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN in Geneva
• H.E. Mario Raúl Cano Ricciardi, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Paraguay to the UN in Geneva
• Min. Plen. Giovanni Battista Iannuzzi, President, Inter-ministerial Committee for Human Rights of Italy (video statement)

• Moira Rotondo, Head of European Policies Department, Coordination of the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Relations with EU and non-EU Associations, International Cooperation, National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI)
• Marie-Eve Boyer, Human Rights Officer, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanism Division, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
• Kamelia Kemileva, Co-Director, Global Cities Hub
• Domenico Zipoli, Project Coordinator, Geneva Human Rights Platform

Moderation: Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Associate Professor, Department of Legal Studies, University of Bologna (moderator)

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