UCLG adopted the New Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City at its World Congress in Tangier (25 June 2026). This work was carried out by our colleagues from the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights (CISDPDH). The Charter-Agenda is an updated global framework designed to guide local and regional governments in promoting human rights at the local level. It reaffirms the role of local and regional governments as guarantors of human rights and recognizes 37 human rights in the city, each with concrete steps for its implementation.
The Charter-Agenda offers an integrated vision of human rights in the city. In addition to the fundamental rights already recognized internationally, it incorporates new human rights, covering essential services and social, economic, cultural, environmental, and democratic rights – with particular attention to groups that continue to face discrimination and obstacles in exercising their rights. Above all, this is not just a declaration of principles, but a political and practical tool, providing concrete principles, commitments, and recommendations for local action.
This document is the result of several years of collaborative work, bringing together cities from every continent, international networks, civil society organizations, universities, and experts—a diversity of actors that constitutes its greatest strength.
