New Academy Briefing Calls for Stronger Engagement of Local and Regional Governments in Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

11 March 2025

The Geneva Academy’s latest publication, Academy Briefing No. 25, Localizing Multilateralism: The Role of Local and Regional Governments in Advancing Human Rights and the SDGs, 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.

Co-authored by Dr. Domenico Zipoli, Kamelia Kemileva, and Dr. Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, this briefing 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 briefing originates from an expert roundtable on Data Planning and Collection by National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRFs): The Role of Local and Regional Governments and National Statistical Systems, which took place at the University of Bologna in 2024. The discussions emphasized the need for structured engagement mechanisms, stronger policy coherence, and digital tools to enhance LRGs’ contributions to human rights monitoring and SDG implementation.

Dr. Zipoli explained, '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.'

Key Recommendations for Strengthening LRG Participation

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.

Kamelia Kemileva, Co-Director at the Global Cities Hub and co-author of the briefing said, '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).'

'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.' expalined Dr. Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Associate Professor of International Law at the University of Bologna and co-author of the briefing.

The Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP) has been actively working on strengthening human rights monitoring mechanisms by facilitating collaboration between local, national, and international actors. The Executive Director of the GHRP, Felix Kirchmeier, underscored the importance of this work, 'At the Geneva Human Rights Platform, we believe that a truly effective human rights monitoring system must reflect realities on the ground. Strengthening the role of local and regional governments is not only a matter of inclusion—it is about making human rights governance more impactful, data-driven, and responsive to local needs. This briefing provides a much-needed roadmap for bridging the gap between international mechanisms and local implementation.'

Launch Event at the Human Rights Council

The Geneva Academy will officially launch the briefing at a side event during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, co-organized with the Permanent Missions of Paraguay and Italy, UN Human Rights, the Geneva Human Rights Platform, the Global Cities Hub, and the University of Bologna.

• Event: Local and Regional Governments as Key Actors in Advancing Human Rights and the SDGs
• Date: 17 March 2025
• Time: 13:00 - 14:00 CET
• Location: Palais des Nations, Geneva (Salle XXII)

This discussion will bring together policymakers, UN officials, academics, and LRG representatives to explore strategies for strengthening LRGs' role in human rights governance, SDG monitoring, and engagement with UN mechanisms.

• More details and registration
• Read the full publication here