Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A U.N. Questionnaire on Local Government and Human Rights--Can Human Rights Move From Discourse to Practice Where It Counts?

(Pix (c) Larry Catá Backer)

Surveys can be very useful.  Perhaps this is one of those times.  The Civil Society Section of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has embarked on an important fact gathering endeavor.
We are pleased to forward the questionnaire on local government and human rights, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 24/2.

Delegations are kindly requested to submit their responses to the questionnaire to the Secretariat by 11 April 2014.

The Secretariat avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Missions to the United Nations Office at Geneva the assurances of its highest consideration.


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Nous avons le plaisir de vous transmettre le questionnaire relatif au gouvernement local et droits de l'homme, conformément à la résolution 24/2 du Conseil des droits de l'homme.

Les délégations sont priées de soumettre leurs réponses au questionnaire au Secrétariat avant le 11 avril 2014.

Le Secrétariat saisit cette occasion pour renouveler aux Missions permanentes auprès de l'Office des Nations Unies à Genève l'assurance de sa haute considération.


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Tenemos el agrado de remitir la cuestionario sobre la administración local y los derechos humanos de conformidad con la resolución 24/2 del Consejo de Derechos Humanos.

Se ruega a las delegaciones que presenten sus respuestas al cuestionario a la Secretaría antes del 11 de abril de 2014.

La Secretaría aprovecha la ocasión para reiterar a las Misiones Permanentes ante la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra las seguridades de su más alta consideración.

The research proposal was quite extensive.  It is to be hoped that at least some local governments were able to submit at least some of the answers to the questions.  The object, of course, goes to the operationalization of human rights behaviors at the local level--the success of transposing the lofty language of the grand gestures of Geneva into the everyday lives of people who might not be able to read or write, and who do not have the time to contemplate the way in which an elegantly complex interaction of international and domestic legal orders, intertwined with private governance systems operation has anything to offer them.  

The questionnaire follows:




Local government and human rights
QUESTIONNAIRE
As part of the consultations undertaken by the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee with governments, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations with a view to preparing a report on the role of local government in the promotion and protection of human rights, pursuant to Council resolution 24/2.

Background:
Human Rights Council resolution 24/2, adopted in September 2013, took note of the research proposals made by the Advisory Committee in August 2012[1], which included a research proposal on local government and human rights, and mandated the Committee to prepare a research-based report on the role of local government in the promotion and protection of human rights, including human rights mainstreaming in local administration and public services, with a view to compiling best practices and main challenges, and to present a progress report thereon to the twenty-seventh session of the Council (September 2014).
The Committee is also requested to seek the views and inputs of Member States, relevant international and regional organizations, the OHCHR and relevant special procedures, as well as national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, in order to prepare the above-mentioned report.
It is therefore in this context that the Advisory Committee decided, at its twelfth session held in February 2014, to appoint a drafting group[2] in charge of the preparation of this report and elaborated the hereunder questionnaire for governments, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations.

QUESTIONNAIRE
1. How is local government organised in your country? Please describe the existing legal framework for the organisation, functioning, competences and financial resources of local government in your country.
2. Is local government in your country required by legislation to promote and protect human rights? Please describe how local government in your country is involved in the implementation of human rights obligations.
3. Is there any cooperation between local government and the central government in your country regarding the implementation of human rights at local level? If yes, please describe the existing cooperation framework.
4. Do you have human rights protection mechanisms at the local level in your country (e.g. ombudspersons, human rights commissions, mediators, etc.)?
5. What initiatives have been taken to include human rights mainstreaming in local administration and public services?
6. What is the role of civil society in the planning and implementation of activities for the protection and promotion of human rights at local level in your country?
7. What is the role and programme of your organization for promotion and protection of human rights at local level or in enhancing local governance for human rights?
8. What are the main challenges faced by local government in your country in the promotion and protection of human rights?
9. Please provide any best practices with regard to the above-mentioned issues.


Deadline for submission of responses to the questionnaire:
In order to give the Drafting Group the opportunity to take into account the different contributions, all parties are encouraged to submit their responses as soon as possible and at the latest by 11 April 2014.
Answers can be submitted via email to the following address:
OR

Secretariat of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee
c/o Ms. Meena Ramkaun
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais Wilson, Room 4-060, Fax: +41 22 917 9011
United Nations Office at Geneva,
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Thank you for your contribution.

For more information on the Advisory’s mandate: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/AdvisoryCommittee/Pages/HRCACIndex.aspx


[1] A/HRC/AC/9/6
[2] A/HRC/AC/12/L.5, 28 February 2014

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