International Conference on Systematic Work for Human Rights Implementation

Stockholm, Sweden, 6-7 November 2008

Speech by Yavuz Mildon, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the

Council of Europe

Mr Chairman,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It will be 60 years in December since the free nations assembled at UN headquarters in New York and forcefully affirmed their shared belief - one strengthened by the atrocities of the Second World War - that human rights and their honouring represent a universal value, vital to the very existence of democratic societies.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights triggered an unprecedented expansion of democracy worldwide, but particularly in Europe, the continent which had suffered most from the bloodiest wars in human history.

When the signatories of the Declaration launched their appeal in 1948, it was not only a reminder of the universal value which we bear by the mere fact of birth – it was a call for an action plan to translate this idealistic and philosophical vision into an environment where these rights can actually be realised and enjoyed.  

This requires specific and systematic work, the work of not only codifying human rights and freedoms in conventions and treaties but also implementing them in our daily life, work which must begin at local level. Because beyond legal texts, human rights are concrete, even if we often speak of them in abstract terms. They are as concrete as the ever-expanding responsibilities of local authorities, affecting in a very tangible way the everyday life of our citizens.

As competences of local authorities enlarge, so do their responsibilities in terms of human rights protection and advancement. The exercise by citizens of their rights begins and is felt most in our communities, which is why we say that local authorities are the first line of defence of human rights but also the launching pad for their realisation.

Human rights and democracy are interdependent, each drawing strength from the other, and it is through action at every level of governance, guided by the shared values of human rights and fundamental freedoms, that it is possible to create cohesive societies where people can fully enjoy both.

Local and regional authorities, which are by definition the tiers of governance closest to citizens, are therefore in the best position to deal with problems relating to the implementation of human rights, and to bring influence to bear on their politicians, so that these problems are solved.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe clearly has a duty to bring a local and regional dimension to human rights protection and to the development of democracy, by involving the lower tiers.  As the mouthpiece of Europe's local and regional authorities, the Congress constitutes a pan-European co-operation platform for over 200,000 authorities in the Council of Europe's 47 member states.  It involves in its action not only local and regional elected representatives, but also their national and international associations and - through its recommendations and other legal texts - national governments.  The Congress is thus engaged in a privileged dialogue with policy-makers at local and regional level and has a huge European network of contacts at that level with a view to improving the human rights situation in our communities.

It is one of the Congress' objectives to expand the human rights dimension of its activities.  We have been active very recently as part of our efforts to set up a human rights area within our authorities by creating a sustainable and cohesive environment centred on citizens, and taking account of every single aspect of day-to-day life, political, economic, social, ecological and cultural.  It is in this spirit that the Congress, during its plenary session last May, adopted the new European Urban Charter and European Charter of Regional Democracy, as well as recommendations on the social reintegration of children living and/or working on the streets, on the integration and participation of young people at local and regional level and on "child in the city".  And it was in the same spirit that the Congress devoted much effort last September to a conference on children's rights which was also held here in Stockholm.

I feel the need to point out that human rights issues are omnipresent at local level as they are integrated into general principles of community management. For example, equality of access to public services is underpinned by a general principle of non-discrimination; questions related to data protection, the protection of privacy, freedom of expression and the protection of social rights, to name but a few, are recurrent aspects of human rights encountered in everyday work of local and regional authorities, requiring an appropriate level of preparedness and knowledge on their part.

It therefore seems to me that proper human rights training and the raising of awareness are essential for Europe's local and regional elected representatives and their staff. It must be made possible for citizens everywhere to turn to an independent body, such as a mediator, if they encounter a problem with the authorities also at local or regional level.

These and other issues related to human rights were discussed during a seminar on systematic work for human rights implementation at local and regional level, organised one month ago to the day, also here in Stockholm, by the Congress, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, and the Office of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. The Declaration adopted at that seminar, which you have before you and which will be presented later by my colleague Susan Bolam, constitutes our contribution to your work at this Conference.

Wishing you every success, I would like to express my strong hope that national governments will heed and take on board our appeal and proposals contained in this Declaration in the context of their action on human rights.

Thank you.