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US National Human Rights Cities Alliance

The US National Human Rights Cities Network operates within the US Human Rights Network, a national network of organizations and individuals working to strengthen a human rights movement and culture within the United States led by the people most directly impacted by human rights violations. We work to secure dignity and justice for all. Specifically we are working to promote local initiatives to implement people-centered human rights in cities and communities around the United States, based on the following Statement of Principles. We work to connect local grassroots struggles with the global human rights and human rights cities movements.

• Link to our page at the US Human Rights Network
• Steering Committee

We work to realize human rights by:

• Engaging, connecting and mobilizing communities, Peoples, workers, and diverse sectors across issue areas, constituencies, and regions to uphold and defend human rights and hold government accountable;
• Building the capacity and leadership of grassroots groups and individuals to effectively apply the human rights framework in developing strategy and making long-term structural shifts to achieve justice;
• Raising the visibility of local human rights concerns and activism to shape the public discourse locally, nationally, and internationally; and
• Facilitating effective collective action to secure the structural change needed to fully realize human rights.

The US Human Rights Network is guided by these core principles:

• Human rights are universal, interdependent, indivisible, and inalienable.
• Human rights movements must be led by those most directly affected by human rights violations.
• Human rights advocacy and organizing should prioritize the struggles of the poor and most marginalized groups in society.
• Human rights movements must be inclusive and respect and reflect the diversity within communities.
• Human rights encompass civil, political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, sexual, and development rights for individuals, Peoples, and groups.

For a more elaborated version see our: Statement of Principles.

International Human Rights Monitoring

This page links to work by national and international human rights organizers to use international treaties and United Nations human rights review processes to hold local and national officials in the United States accountable to our international human rights obligations.

Educational and Outreach Tools

• International Human Rights Mechanisms Slide Show
  
• Human Rights Cities Introduction Slide Show
  
• Video A European Coalition of Local Human Rights Cities in the Making, Utrecht, 12-13 December 2013-This video illustrates how groups in Europe are engaging similar questions and strategies as we are doing with this US Human Rights Cities Alliance. We are working to expand and deepen conversations between US activists and our counterparts in other parts of the world.

Reports and Documentation

• 2018 Greenville Human Rights Cities Convening-Summary Report
• 2018 Washington DC, July 2018 Convening Summary
• 2016 Washington DC 2016 Human Rights Cities Convening Report
  • Documentation from 2016 DC Convening
• 2015 Pittsburgh 2015 Initial Convening of Human Rights City Leaders
• US Human Rights Cities Alliance 2017 Annual Report