May 2025 | Gwangju – UCLG ASPAC was invited by Gwangju, its active member, to once again ignite the spirit of cities and local governments to continuously uphold human dignity through the flagship programme 10th World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) 2025. Held under the theme “Peace and Solidarity: Human Rights Cities Acting for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding”, the 10th WHRCF in 2025 was a reflective and future-facing gathering. It compels us to look beyond human rights activism, but more to local policy frameworks and consider the meaningful involvement of cities and local governments in advancing people-centred public policies through a human rights-based approach. It brought together participants from cities and international organisations around the world to share innovations, challenges, and solidarity. At the heart of this year’s forum was a reflection on the roots of human rights in local governance and the enduring legacy of the 18 May Democratic Uprising—a pivotal moment in South Korea’s democratic history.
Human Rights Localisation to Accelerate the SDGs Achievement
The concept of a Human Rights City has gained international recognition as a model for integrating human rights norms into local governance. It recognises that rights are not only negotiated in courtrooms or national legislatures but also shaped in neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, and city halls. Local governments are often the first responders to issues such as inequality, discrimination, and displacement—and thus are uniquely positioned to protect and promote human rights in everyday life.
Localising human rights is essential to accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it ensures that global commitments are translated into meaningful change at the community level. By adopting a human rights-based approach (HRBA), local governments can align their policies and development strategies with core human rights principles—such as participation, non-discrimination, accountability, and transparency—ensuring that no one is left behind. This approach not only strengthens democratic governance but also addresses structural inequalities that hinder sustainable development. When cities and local governments integrate human rights into areas like housing, education, public health, and environmental protection, they make the SDGs tangible and responsive to local needs. Human rights localisation, therefore, transforms the SDGs from abstract global goals into concrete actions that empower communities, protect vulnerable groups, and build inclusive, resilient societies.
The WHRCF 2025: Reflecting on Progress and Challenges at the Local Level in Asia Pacific
To share Asia and Pacific’s perspectives in building the inclusiveness and non-discrimination at local level, the Forum held a special session organised jointly by Gwangju Metropolitan Cities, The Coalition of Cities Against Discrimination in Asia Pacific (APCAD) and UCLG ASPAC with the theme of “Peacebuilding and Inclusion in the Asia-Pacific Cities”,aiming to present their best practices and challenges faced by cities in integrating human rights into their policies. The session brought together speakers from Indonesia and the Philippines and was attended by Mayors and local leaders along with national human rights institutions in the two countries, providing a room for experience sharing and knowledge exchange among the city leaders and human rights institutions.
Key highlights included:
- Local ordinance on human rights recognition in local policy processes is important to ensure community participation and transparency. National and local authorities shall need to sit together to formulate a regulatory framework that guarantees the inclusion of just and non-discriminatory approaches that will ensure peace among the local community.
- Local governments have a key role in promoting inclusiveness and solidarity among their citizens, such as, among others, to protect the disabilities, women and children’s rights, promote transparency, build green public spaces, ensure the safety of girls and children in schools and other public spaces, provide free education and healthcare, and provide just and non-discriminatory public services. Political commitments from city leaders are important to make such initiatives a reality.
- Local governments are the key actors in promoting the enabling environment to create peace and solidarity. Cities in Asia and the Pacific have several best practices in creating just and non-discriminatory policies. For example, Singkawang City of Indonesia has been named as the Most Tolerant City for three consecutive years, according to Tolerant City Index, an index developed by Setara Institute, Indonesia’s leading human rights organisation that conducts a regular survey to assess cities’ political commitment and practices that ensures the religious freedom and other aspects of civil rights in the local level. This has led Singkawang City to become a champion and role model for other cities in Asia Pacific to ensure their citizens’ rights and justice.
The session emphasised that cities must not only address traditional rights violations but also confront complex, intersectional future crises—from housing insecurity to environmental degradation—with new tools and stronger coalitions.
From Memory to Action: Translating the Spirit of Gwangju into Practice
Commemorating the May 18 Uprising reminds us that human rights must be continuously defended, practised, and institutionalised at all levels. Through the WHRCF Forum, Gwangju demonstrates that a city is not merely a collection of infrastructure but a living community where resistance, resilience, and renewal are possible.
As we look beyond the ceremonies and discussion, the path forward involves deepening the vision of human rights cities as more than institutional commitments, but towards democratic common values, where local governments need to translate them into practice, which requires:
- Promoting equal and inclusive civic space,
- Investing in inclusive urban planning and local policy processes that centres accessibility, environmental justice, and cultural diversity,
- Building strong international city networks that enable local governments and local actors to confront global crises collectively.
Conclusion
The 10th World Human Rights Cities Forum was not just a celebration of milestones—it was a sober reminder for cities to bear the responsibility in the ongoing struggle for human dignity. In the spirit of the 18 May Uprising, cities must continue to inspire the world. It is meant that even in the face of current challenges, a city can rise to become a lighthouse of freedom, peace, and solidarity.
As we step into the next decade of human rights city-building, let us carry forward Gwangju’s legacy—not only in commemorations but in concrete, everyday practices of just, fair, and participation. The spirit of 18 May lives wherever people stand up for each other in peach and solidarity in every city around the world.
