5.4.3.1 Decentralisation initiatives
In a number of countries, UNDP works with governments to decentralise decision-making and to create or enhance local levels of decision-making. These initiatives frequently involve legislative or even constitutional changes to permit the devolution of legislative responsibilities from the central authority to provincial, municipal or village regions. There are significant implications for service delivery as well as local decision-making.
In many countries, UNDP has provided significant support towards decentralisation initiatives and UNCTs can support NHRIs to be informed of and pay close attention to these developments, in order to take advantage of these opportunities:
- NHRIs can take advantage of the timing of the establishment of new councils or other entities to introduce a public service training component for local decision-makers on human rights and human rights-based development;
- NHRIs can invite local decision-makers to participate in local public awareness and training events;
- For NHRIs that do not have a regional presence, local government offices can provide a good meeting place for public education sessions targeted at the larger community (bearing in mind that such offices are inappropriate for interviewing witnesses or parties to human rights complaints); and
- NHRIs can work with local service delivery providers to make sure that local spending priorities are directed towards vulnerable groups and supportive of equality and especially women’s equality.
Work in the area of decentralization could assist with training of local government officials in HRBA. In Zambia, UNDP is trying to work with the Ministry of Local Government and Housing and the Decentralisation Secretariat. The objective is to promote the institutionalization of training for local government, which involves the provision of targeted courses in national training institutions to equip local government officials with the required skills base for their positions. This is to avoid “one off” workshop style training and frequent staff absences due to attendance and to maintain knowledge and skills within the system. This will allow for capacity-building of national institutions.
Source: Example provided by B. Fee, Programme Analyst, Governance, UNDP Zambia
Because the UN often closely works with governments to move forward local decision-making initiatives, UNCTs should also ensure that NHRIs are informed of these developments and the implications for NHRI work. NHRIs should be aware that failure to respect or implement centrally-established human rights policy in regions is often a problem, and may become more so as officials move away from and out of the scrutiny of central oversight.