UNESCO Challenges National Sovereignty with City-Level Human Rights Efforts
HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIETY & CULTURE
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
In a development with far-reaching implications for national sovereignty, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) formally launched the International Coalition of Cities against Racism in Nantes, France on June 30 at the Third World Forum on Human Rights. The official document unites UNESCO, NGOs and local government officials in an effort to implement a full-range of civil, political, economic and social rights at the municipal level, thereby circumventing the authority of national governments.
The effort to create an International Coalition of Cities against Racism began in March 2004 when UNESCO introduced the idea of regional associations of cities against racism. These regional associations would “facilitate the networking of municipalities that wish to share their experience to improve policies to fight racism, discrimination, xenophobia and exclusion.” According to UNESCO, local authorities and policy-makers are integral players in ensuring that these types of human rights are respected.
Regional coalitions have already been created in Europe, Africa, Latin America, North America, and Asia-Pacific. On June 25, 2008, a network of Arab cities officially created their own regional coalition. The regional coalitions are designed to complement the work of the International Coalition by taking into consideration the “specificities and priorities of each region of the world,” allowing objectives to be adapted to the unique challenges found in different communities.
Commenting on the launch of the International Coalition of Cities against Racism, Pierre Sané, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Social and Human Sciences, further promoted city-based human rights efforts, asserting that the involvement of cities in human rights is essential to ensuring the concrete implementation of those rights. Ibrahim Salama, a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, echoed those thoughts, saying that “cities without power are a hindrance to development.”
Jim Kelly is the President of Solidarity Center for Law and Justice, P.C., a public interest civil and human rights law firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. The opinions expressed herein are his own.
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