HUMAN RIGHTS CITIES: FROM CAMPAIGN TO CHARTER
OHCHR, UCLG and the Global Platform for the Right to the City presented the New Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City, building on the “10, 100, 1000 Human Rights Cities and Territories by 2030” campaign launched in Daejeon. The renewed framework recognises 37 human rights in the city and reinforcing the role of local governments as duty-bearers. The session also highlighted the Guidance Framework for Creating a Human Rights City, developed jointly by UCLG and OHCHR, as a practical tool to integrate human rights into governance, public policies and service delivery.
More information: www.uclg-cisdp.org/en/human-rights-cities www.ohchr.org
VIOLENCE PREVENTION: LOCAL SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX CHALLENGES
Organised by Peace in Our Cities, Open Society Foundations and Mercociudades, the dialogue showcased initiatives addressing genderbased violence, youth recruitment into organised crime, disappearances and community safety. Speakers stressed the importance of prevention, public trust and long-term investment in communities, while highlighting the value of peer exchange between cities facing similar challenges across different contexts.
More information: https://peaceinourcities.org/ mercociudades.org
PEACE THROUGH LOCAL ACTION
Convened by Open Society Foundations, with the UCLG Peace Prize and VNG International, the session explored how local governments are advancing public safety and peace through prevention, social policies and partnerships. It also drew on experiences from the finalists of the 2026 UCLG Peace Prize, showing how local governments can turn peacebuilding into everyday practice.
More information: https://peaceprize.uclg.org/
ECOCIDE AND LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Convened by Stop Ecocide International, the dialogue challenged the idea that severe environmental destruction happens only in remote places. It highlighted how local and regional governments are often on the frontline of ecological harm, while the global debate on criminalising ecocide continues to gain momentum.
More information: https://www.stopecocide.earth/