Research projects

Joined-up governance: connecting fundamental rights

Launch of the Project: 03/2010 - Planned finalisation of the Project: 12/2012
Objectives - Why this project and for whom?

Fundamental rights are first and foremost exercised at local level. Local and regional authorities have legal competence for many policy areas which have impact on people's fundamental rights. Fulfilling human rights is therefore a shared responsibility and requires that various levels of government work together. Multi-level coordination of fundamental rights protection cross-cuts all thematic areas of the FRA Multi-annual Framework.

The FRA's Joined-up governance project seeks to explore and develop methods on how to enhance fundamental rights implementation across various government levels. The project involves five EU countries and several cities and regions, and carries out research and mutual learning activities on multi-level implementation of fundamental rights.

The FRA has set up a group of national, regional, local and international actors for knowledge sharing and good practice exchange. Together we explore how to:

  • make fundamental rights protection more effective and how to facilitate access to rights at local level;
  • raise awareness among local policy makers about fundamental rights;
  • support sustainability of fundamental rights initiatives at local level;
  • share resources and information at various government levels;
  • enhance the systematic implementation of human rights standards across levels of government.
Details - What does the project involve?

The project undertakes research on practices of fundamental rights implementation in five EU Member States (Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom) covering a variety of policy areas (asylum, anti-discrimination, gender equality, social cohesion and integration).

The research is based on focus group discussions with government officials and other actors at national, local and regional levels. Results from the different focus groups are matched with each other, so as to get a comprehensive view on how different levels of government can work together for fundamental rights protection.

Outputs - What will the project deliver?

The Joined-up governance project will disseminate its findings in various ways, including:

  • A toolkit or handbook, which identifies key principles for a joined-up approach to fundamental rights implementation;
  • Information on good practices of cross-level cooperation;
  • Good-practice exchange seminars for local and national governments.

Background

 

Project partners:

The project is implemented with the cooperation from national and local governments in five countries. Associated experts from inter-governmental organisations and academia provide further inputs and international perspectives.

Belgium

  • Federal Ministry of Justice, Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism, Flemish Government (Services for the General Government Policy, Equal Opportunities in Flanders), Government of Wallonia (Service public de Wallonie - Direction de la cohesion sociale), Cities ofAntwerp, Mons, Herstal and Roeselaere.

The Netherlands

  • Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and Cities of Utrecht, Maastricht and Nijmegen

Spain

  • Ministry of Labour and Immigration (General Directorate for the Integration of Immigrants, Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia), Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), Region of Andalucía, Cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Terrassa and Roquetas de Mar.  

Sweden

  • Ministry of Employment, Swedish Association of Local and Regional Authorities (SALAR), Region of Västra Götaland, Cities of Huddinge and Sundsvall

United Kingdom

  • Ministry of Justice, Cities of Hackney, Herefordshire and London Borough of Tower Hamlets

International Organisations

  • European Union Committee of the Regions - Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional Affairs and External Relations (CIVEX)
  • Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
  • Office of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Independent experts

  • Elisabeth Abiri, Senior Lecturer at the University of Gothenburg, Institute for the Study of Human Rights
  • Klaus Starl, Executive Secretary of the European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Austria

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