The 14th World Human Rights Cities Forum Declaration
October 10-11, 2024
Gwangju, Republic of Korea
Civic Space and Human Rights Cities
A human rights city is defined as ‘both a local community and a socio-political
process in a local context where human rights play a key role as fundamental values and guiding principles’.
Gwangju Declaration on Human Rights City (2011)
We, the participants of the 14th World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) in 2024, together:
1. Recognize the various efforts that have contributed to the development and sustainability of the human rights city movement, including Rosario City’s declaration as a 'Human Rights City' in 1997; UNESCO's launch of the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR) in 2004; the adoption of the 'European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City' in Saint Denis in 2000; the adoption of the 'Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City' by the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in 2011; the United Nations Human Rights Council's adoption of the 'Local Government and Human Rights' resolution in 2013; Gwangju Metropolitan City's announcement of the 'Gwangju Guiding Principles for a Human Rights City' in 2014; and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute's release of 'Localising Human Rights in the Context of SDGs: a Handbook for Cities' in 2022.
2. Reaffirm that the WHRCF, held annually since 2011, has promoted the human rights city movement across cities worldwide and contributed to the ongoing discussion of the 'Local Government and Human Rights' agenda at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
3. Emphasize that the WHRCF is a space for discourse where human rights supporters from around the world can meet, exchange ideas, share experiences, and propose policies to realize human rights at the local level.
4. Express gratitude to the participants for their dedication and support, including human rights city officials, civil society organizations, activists, and various stakeholders from around the world, and further acknowledge and thank the hosting and organizing institutions for their efforts to ensure the continuity of the World Human Rights Cities Forum.
5. Emphasize that the WHRCF serves as an open space for solidarity among global human rights supporters, and encourage cities to support the ‘10, 100, 1000 Human Rights Cities and Territories by 2030’1 global campaign of the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy, and Human Rights (UCLG-CSIPDHR).
6. Express deep concern about the loss of lives caused by the ongoing wars and conflicts, as well as the escalating climate-related disasters that restrict civic space, and underscore the urgent need for solidarity to address global challenges and promote human rights protection and peace through resilience, proactive action, and unity.
7. Recognize that global challenges, including digitalization, economic disparities, and the climate crisis impact communities worldwide, and emphasize the importance of civic space in promoting human rights, inclusive participation, transparency, and accountability, aligning with the international community’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
8. Confirm that social interest in human rights has paved the way to expand civic space and develop human rights through transferring the rights away from the minority and over to the broader majority, thereby enabling the development of human rights in the modern age.
9. Acknowledge that the creation and expansion of civic space is an important task for the sustainable human rights city movement, with the understanding that local governments must make conscious, deliberate decisions to create inclusive communities where the voices of local residents can be freely expressed, and their rights actively protected, reinforcing their role as advocates for human rights and democratic values at the local level
10. Corroborate that the accumulated experience and case studies of various cities are important stepping stones for formulating strategies that address the challenges facing civic spaces, including restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, digital surveillance, and barriers to public participation, while also emphasizing that resilient policies should be formulated in tandem with civil society, which has been granted transparent governance, inclusive dialogue, and freedom of expression.
11. Recognize the significance of the sessions focusing on Children and Youth, Disability, Migration, and Women, including the need for global citizenship education to foster democratic participation and human rights sensitivity among children and youth; universal design to enhance the mobility and accessibility of persons with disabilities; the right to a healthy life for all including migrants; and the creation of inclusive and safe digital civic spaces for women based on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) Agreed Conclusions2.
12. Anticipate that the agendas discussed at the special sessions, such as inclusive participation in cities to resolve the multifaceted challenges faced by local governments; poverty alleviation through the expansion of citizen spaces; promotion of engaging men in gender equality policies; and fostering engagement with UN human rights mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)3 of human rights situations in each country organized by the UN Human Rights Council, will be implemented as important policies for cities that are part of the Human Rights Cities Movement.
The hosts, organizers, and participants of the 14th WHRCF in 2024 make the following commitments:
1. To collaborate with all human rights cities, civil society and other relevant stakeholders and actors in various fields to share experiences and best practices for the realization of sustainable democracy, human rights cities and the expansion of civic spaces, in a time of worldwide crisis for democracy and human rights.
2. To cooperate with UCLG-CSIPDHR to advance the “10, 100, 1000 Campaign”, aiming to engage 1,000 cities and local governments worldwide by 2030 and to invite them to strengthen the international solidarity of human rights cities, and reinforce urban practices and civic actions that integrate human rights into governance.
3. To work with international organizations, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) and UNESCO, to establish local human rights charters, ombudsperson offices, inclusive digital spaces, civic human rights education programs, community-led projects, collaborative platforms for public-private cooperation, universal design, and the creation of healthy, inclusive cities that promote the well-being and social integration of migrants.
4. To meet again together with international human rights organizations, local governments, and civil organizations at the 15th World Human Rights Cities Forum to be held in May next year in Gwangju, the city of democracy and human rights, to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement.
1 https://www.uclg-cisdp.org/en/news/join-global-campaign-10-100-1000-human-rights-cities-and-territories-2030
2 https://unfoundation.org/csw67/commission-on-the-status-of-women-csw67-agreed-conclusions/
3 https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-home
The 14th World Human Rights Cities Forum Declaration
October 10-11, 2024
Gwangju, Republic of Korea
Civic Space and Human Rights Cities
A human rights city is defined as ‘both a local community and a socio-political
process in a local context where human rights play a key role as fundamental values and guiding principles’.
Gwangju Declaration on Human Rights City (2011)
We, the participants of the 14th World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) in 2024, together:
1. Recognize the various efforts that have contributed to the development and sustainability of the human rights city movement, including Rosario City’s declaration as a 'Human Rights City' in 1997; UNESCO's launch of the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR) in 2004; the adoption of the 'European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City' in Saint Denis in 2000; the adoption of the 'Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City' by the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in 2011; the United Nations Human Rights Council's adoption of the 'Local Government and Human Rights' resolution in 2013; Gwangju Metropolitan City's announcement of the 'Gwangju Guiding Principles for a Human Rights City' in 2014; and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute's release of 'Localising Human Rights in the Context of SDGs: a Handbook for Cities' in 2022.
2. Reaffirm that the WHRCF, held annually since 2011, has promoted the human rights city movement across cities worldwide and contributed to the ongoing discussion of the 'Local Government and Human Rights' agenda at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
3. Emphasize that the WHRCF is a space for discourse where human rights supporters from around the world can meet, exchange ideas, share experiences, and propose policies to realize human rights at the local level.
4. Express gratitude to the participants for their dedication and support, including human rights city officials, civil society organizations, activists, and various stakeholders from around the world, and further acknowledge and thank the hosting and organizing institutions for their efforts to ensure the continuity of the World Human Rights Cities Forum.
5. Emphasize that the WHRCF serves as an open space for solidarity among global human rights supporters, and encourage cities to support the ‘10, 100, 1000 Human Rights Cities and Territories by 2030’1 global campaign of the UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy, and Human Rights (UCLG-CSIPDHR).
6. Express deep concern about the loss of lives caused by the ongoing wars and conflicts, as well as the escalating climate-related disasters that restrict civic space, and underscore the urgent need for solidarity to address global challenges and promote human rights protection and peace through resilience, proactive action, and unity.
7. Recognize that global challenges, including digitalization, economic disparities, and the climate crisis impact communities worldwide, and emphasize the importance of civic space in promoting human rights, inclusive participation, transparency, and accountability, aligning with the international community’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
8. Confirm that social interest in human rights has paved the way to expand civic space and develop human rights through transferring the rights away from the minority and over to the broader majority, thereby enabling the development of human rights in the modern age.
9. Acknowledge that the creation and expansion of civic space is an important task for the sustainable human rights city movement, with the understanding that local governments must make conscious, deliberate decisions to create inclusive communities where the voices of local residents can be freely expressed, and their rights actively protected, reinforcing their role as advocates for human rights and democratic values at the local level
10. Corroborate that the accumulated experience and case studies of various cities are important stepping stones for formulating strategies that address the challenges facing civic spaces, including restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, digital surveillance, and barriers to public participation, while also emphasizing that resilient policies should be formulated in tandem with civil society, which has been granted transparent governance, inclusive dialogue, and freedom of expression.
11. Recognize the significance of the sessions focusing on Children and Youth, Disability, Migration, and Women, including the need for global citizenship education to foster democratic participation and human rights sensitivity among children and youth; universal design to enhance the mobility and accessibility of persons with disabilities; the right to a healthy life for all including migrants; and the creation of inclusive and safe digital civic spaces for women based on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) Agreed Conclusions2.
12. Anticipate that the agendas discussed at the special sessions, such as inclusive participation in cities to resolve the multifaceted challenges faced by local governments; poverty alleviation through the expansion of citizen spaces; promotion of engaging men in gender equality policies; and fostering engagement with UN human rights mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)3 of human rights situations in each country organized by the UN Human Rights Council, will be implemented as important policies for cities that are part of the Human Rights Cities Movement.
The hosts, organizers, and participants of the 14th WHRCF in 2024 make the following commitments:
1. To collaborate with all human rights cities, civil society and other relevant stakeholders and actors in various fields to share experiences and best practices for the realization of sustainable democracy, human rights cities and the expansion of civic spaces, in a time of worldwide crisis for democracy and human rights.
2. To cooperate with UCLG-CSIPDHR to advance the “10, 100, 1000 Campaign”, aiming to engage 1,000 cities and local governments worldwide by 2030 and to invite them to strengthen the international solidarity of human rights cities, and reinforce urban practices and civic actions that integrate human rights into governance.
3. To work with international organizations, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) and UNESCO, to establish local human rights charters, ombudsperson offices, inclusive digital spaces, civic human rights education programs, community-led projects, collaborative platforms for public-private cooperation, universal design, and the creation of healthy, inclusive cities that promote the well-being and social integration of migrants.
4. To meet again together with international human rights organizations, local governments, and civil organizations at the 15th World Human Rights Cities Forum to be held in May next year in Gwangju, the city of democracy and human rights, to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement.
1 https://www.uclg-cisdp.org/en/news/join-global-campaign-10-100-1000-human-rights-cities-and-territories-2030
2 https://unfoundation.org/csw67/commission-on-the-status-of-women-csw67-agreed-conclusions/
3 https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-home