A/HRC/RES/39/7
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
5 October 2018
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirty-ninth session
10–28 September 2018
Agenda item 3
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
on 27 September 2018
39/7.
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 and 33/8 of 29 September 2016 on the role of local government in
the promotion and protection of human rights,
Recalling further General Assembly resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015 on the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in which the Assembly adopted a
comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative
Sustainable Development Goals and targets, and its commitments to working tirelessly for
full implementation of the Agenda by 2030 at all levels,
Underscoring the significant contribution that local government can make to the
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and their targets,
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 birthright
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,
Recognizing also that local government has different forms and functions in every
State, in accordance with the constitutional and legal system of the State concerned,
Recognizing further that, given its proximity to people and being at the grass-roots
level, one of the important functions of local government is to provide public services that
GE.18-16415(E)