Background

The Human Rights Council resolution 51/12 on local government and human rights requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to organize a one-day expert meeting on enhancing capacity-building for local governments to incorporate human rights into all their work, as a basis for developing guidance tools on human rights education for local governments, and to prepare and present a summary report for the fifty-sixth session of the Council.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights welcomes any relevant information with regard to the preparation of the expert meeting and report, including:

1. What capacity building initiatives have been taken to implement/incorporate human rights in local administration?
   a. Please provide information on institutional structures for coordination and harmonization of capacity building initiatives.
   b. Please provide information on the involvement of civil society, the private sector, academia, etc. in capacity building initiatives.
   c. Please provide information on any monitoring or evaluation mechanisms assessing the effectiveness of capacity building initiatives and their impact on the promotion and protection of human rights at the local level.
2. What are the capacity building gaps and needs of local governments in relation to implementing/incorporating human rights at the local level?
3. What measures are needed to further strengthen the capacity of local governments to implement/incorporate human rights at the local level?
4. What are existing procedures and practices for engaging local governments in the work of the United Nations human rights mechanisms and in implementing, reporting and following up on relevant recommendations? How could the existing level of engagement be enhanced?
5. What are the capacity building gaps and needs of local governments in relation to engaging with the United Nations human rights mechanisms and in implementing, reporting and following up on relevant recommendations?
6. What are the main challenges in your country in the promotion and protection of human rights at the local level?
7. Please provide examples, good practices, challenges, and recommendations with regard to the above-mentioned issues.