A/HRC/RES/51/12
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
13 October 2022
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Fifty-first session
12 September–7 October 2022
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
on 6 October 2022
51/12.
Local government and human rights
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international
human rights instruments, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 24/2 of 26 September 2013, 27/4 of
25 September 2014, 33/8 of 29 September 2016, 39/7 of 27 September 2018 and 45/7 of
6 October 2020 on local government and human rights,
Recalling further General Assembly resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015 on the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and States’ commitments to working tirelessly
for the full implementation of the Agenda by 2030 at all levels, and recalling also Assembly
resolution 71/256 of 23 December 2016 on the New Urban Agenda,
Underscoring the significant contribution that local governments make to the
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and their targets, including with
regard to the promotion and protection of human rights, as key actors in localizing the
commitments set out in the 2030 Agenda, including through self-assessments, regional and
international networks and local strategies,
Bearing in mind that the Sustainable Development Goals are integrated and
indivisible, balance the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and
environmental – and are aimed at realizing the human rights of all and at achieving gender
equality and the empowerment of all women and girls,
Bearing in mind also that human rights and fundamental freedoms are the birth right
of all human beings, and that their protection and promotion is the first responsibility of
Governments,
Recognizing the role of local government in the promotion and protection of human
rights, without any prejudice to the primary responsibility of the national Government in this
regard,
GE.22-16645(E)