ABSTRACT

Th is contribution reflects the observations of two human rights consultants on a striking process of introducing human rights at the local level, within the framework of a multilevel governance effort initiated by the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (the Congress). The authors aim at highlighting four core aspects of this process that are relevant on a global scale. First, the country in which this process took place, Georgia, is not known as a human rights champion. However, it clearly demonstrates a good practice example which others can learn significantly from. Second, it is a remarkable and quite unique occurrence for thirteen local authorities of a country to commit themselves to apply a human rights-based approach to local policy-making. Third, the nature of the approach applied in this process was very innovative. An international norm of the Congress was used to implement decentralisation in the form of a hub for human rights at the local authority level. Fourth, capacity-building for the on-site implementation introduced a concept developed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as a form of practical guidance. The authors’ observations target readers working in international organisations as initiators or implementors of decentralisation and human rights efforts, and representatives of national authorities who are planning such efforts; consultants, academics, and civil society actors, as facilitators of such processes; and local authorities. The authors provide their feedback on the achievements and remaining obstacles in this particular process of developing human rights guarantees, by local authorities in Georgia.

INTRODUCTION

Th is article is a case study on the project ‘ Strengthening participatory democracy and human rights at the local level in Georgia’, which establishes an innovative process for advocating and improving human rights protection at the local level. The project is jointly implemented by the Directorate General of Democracy's Division of Elections and Participatory Democracy, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (the Congress), within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020 – 2023, as well as with financial support provided by the Austrian Development Cooperation.