New Essay Series: Local Futures: Human Rights Cities

Across North America, as the failure or refusal of states to deliver on human rights has become more evident, grassroots organizers are working with or through local cities and municipalities to reclaim their rights and build a new future grounded in dignity, justice, and democratic participation. The essay series “Local Futures: Human Rights Cities” spotlights the growing Human Rights Cities movement, where cities are becoming frontline laboratories for human rights innovation, as communities leverage international norms to confront inequality and injustice. 

The most recent essay, “A national human rights institution for the United States: Can cities lead the way?” offers ideas for how local communities can organize to reinforce human rights protections in the face of anti-democratic opposition from Washington. Two additional essays in the series have been published to date, with more being published each week.

The full essay series can be viewed here. Essays are available in English, Spanish, and French.

This series, co-sponsored by the Young Initiative at Occidental College, the University of Pittsburgh Global Studies Center, and the Global College at the University of Winnipeg,​ was created in partnership with the Human Rights Cities Alliance (HRCA), a growing network of human rights advocates and scholar-practitioners translating international human rights standards into local policy and action.