Human Rights and democracy are facing new sets of challenges across the world. Local governments play an important role in their local areas of authority to protect and promote the human rights of their citizens.
The ICLD Human Right network is part of Municipal Partnership Programme. It links together and supports local government partnerships committed to strengthening their systematic work on human rights issues locally, using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding framework.
In this network, Swedish municipalities have been matched with a partner from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe or Zambia. Together, the partners are planning and conducting projects on a topic related to human rights, primarily child rights and inclusion of youth in democratic processes.
Academia can play an important role in providing expertise and conducting research on local change processes. Relevant universities will be approached to join the network and in some cases individual partnerships.
ITPs, International Training Programmes for local government staff and politicians, offered by the ICLD, are also available to participating international municipalities.
Timeframe: 2022- 2025
Countries: South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana
Partnerships in the network
Ekerö and Cape Agulhas
South Africa
Topic: Citizen dialogue and municipal cooperation with civil society
Falkenberg, Sundays River Valley and Sarah Baartman district
South Africa
Topic: Youth and children´s influence and participation
Håbo, Livingstone and Victoria Falls
Zambia/Zimbabwe
Topic: Youth and children’s rights and participation
Valdemarsvik, Palapye and Central district
Botswana
Topic: Increase youth participation and democratic influence
Haparanda and Solwezi
Zambia
Topic: Increase women´s and youth opportunities and participation
Latest news and upcoming events
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Source: The Source
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Source: The Source
Voices from the network
What local political representatives and local government staff are saying
This partnership will allow us to strengthen our gender equality work and become even better at including Kungsör’s children and young people our municipality.
Mikael Peterson
Mayor of Kungsör
Through this network, Ovanåker will get the opportunity to work together with some other Swedish municipalities and some municipalities in Southern Africa to together develop local democracy and work with human rights.
Håkan Englund
Mayor of Ovanåker
By gaining access to experts and research in the project, we hope to be able to work more strategically to include young people in Kungsör.
Josephine Härdin
Coordinator, Kungsör