A/HRC/RES/33/8 Bearing in mind 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 address local needs and priorities related to the realization of human rights at the local level, Underlining that the promotion of a human rights culture within public services, and public servants’ knowledge, training and awareness, play a vital role in promoting respect for and the realization of human rights in society, and stressing the importance in this regard of human rights education and training for public servants at the local government level, Noting relevant international and regional initiatives to promote human rights at the local level, Reaffirming the crucial role that the national Government can play in promoting a positive contribution by local government to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with regard to the promotion and protection of human rights, 1. Decides to convene between its thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth sessions, taking advantage of existing capacities, a panel discussion on the role of local government in the promotion and protection of human rights, the objective of which will be to identify ways in which local government can promote, protect and fulfil human rights effectively, particularly in the context of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in close cooperation with the national Government; 2. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to liaise with States and all stakeholders, including relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, the treaty bodies, the relevant special procedures of the Human Rights Council, national human rights institutions and civil society, with a view to ensuring their participation in the panel discussion; 3. Also requests the High Commissioner to prepare a report on the panel discussion in the form of a summary, and to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-eighth session; 4. Decides to remain seized of the matter. 39th meeting 29 September 2016 [Adopted without a vote.] 2