Local authorities, poverty and the impact of human rights norms

Moritz Baumgärtel

Chapter 16 in Research Handbook on Human Rights and Poverty, 2026, pp 279-295 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Cities, towns, and their local authorities are nowadays commonly regarded as important actors in the realisation of human rights norms. This chapter discusses the role that they play in implementing and possibly shaping human rights norms that address challenges arising from poverty. It critically examines to what extent human rights, as law and discourse, provide necessary or even useful frameworks for local governments operating in this domain. The chapter begins by recounting the responsibilities that local authorities hold in terms of international human rights law. It subsequently presents some of the most prominent examples of international actors harnessing the capacities of local authorities to reduce poverty. Finally, it discusses a number of examples of relevant autonomous efforts by local governments. Seeking to provide a nuanced account of these developments, it does so by contrasting approaches that vary in their reliance on international human rights law and discourse.

Keywords: Local authorities; Local government; Cities; Poverty; Human rights (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035350506
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