What is the “Human Rights City Project”?

        One of the goals of the City of Eugene Human Rights Commission is that of “ensuring that human rights are a central part of every City program.”  In 2006, the Commission put the “Human Rights City Project” on its bi-annual work plan, an action approved by City Council.  The Project is exploring ways that City government can implement international human rights standards and principles in its overall operations. 

        The Project entails (1) ongoing research on initiatives being undertaken in other municipalities; (2) opening up a conversation with elected City officials, City managers and staff, and community  members; and (3) future proposals for City Council action that could include a revision of the City of Eugene Human Rights Ordinance. 

 

Doesn’t the City have a strong Human Rights Ordinance?

        Yes, the City has an ordinance directed at the right of people to be free from discrimination.  But the current Human Rights Ordinance is limited in important ways.  Its focus is on discriminatory treatment of individual members of various protected classes.  However, the ordinance is designed in such a way that City government is largely “reactive” (responsive to discrimination complaints as they occur), rather than “proactive” (taking the initiative to identify and eliminate discrimination even in the absence of complaints).  In addition, the current ordinance does not require that the City address unintentional or inadvertent discrimination, which can be just as harmful and distressing as discrimination that is intentional.

Besides the right to be free from discrimination, are there other types of human rights with which the City should be concerned?

Certainly.  While the City uses the term “human rights” in its anti-discrimination Human Rights Ordinance, in actuality the ordinance primarily addresses violations of people’s “civil rights.”   In the larger global community, the concept of “human rights” encompasses not only civil rights, but also political, cultural, social and economic rights. 

The full range of human rights is spelled out in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  For example, food, shelter, health care, education, work,   an adequate standard of living, and social security for those unable to work are internationally understood to be fundamental human rights in the same way as the right to be free from discrimination. 

Our City government cannot possibly provide food, shelter, health care, etc. to all those who are in need.  What, realistically, can the City do?

        City government must work within limits posed by existing human and financial resources and its capacity to act.  Nonetheless, the City can make a major contribution by consciously identifying and establishing ways to be supportive of the full range of human rights where this is possible in the course of its everyday operations. 

        The City can, for example, strive to systematically include human rights values   in proposing or considering new legislation; in the design, implementation, and evaluation of policies and programs; in the course of making budgetary decisions; and in developing and diversifying its human resources.  Bringing human rights considerations to bear on City operations, and doing so across all City departments, can open up ways for government to more effectively serve the needs of all the people of Eugene.    

What international human rights principles and standards should City government strive to incorporate across its operations?

        --Be proactive in identifying and seeking solutions to human rights problems and issues

        --Address human rights violations even when these violations can be considered unintentional or inadvertent

        --Establish mechanisms to insure active public participation in human rights problem identification and in establishing solutions

        --Be transparent and open about all government decisions bearing on people’s human rights

        --Be held publicly accountable for progress in remedying human rights problems by timetables, benchmarks, and appropriate measures

        --Provide education to all people about their human rights and how they can seek redress for rights violations

What kinds of human rights issues might City government better address in the course of bringing human rights principles and standards to bear in its operations?

        The answer to this question will require ongoing community-City dialogue and collaboration.  Among the issues that might be fruitful to consider are:

        --Police behavior/profiling/harassment

        --Affordable housing/homelessness

        --School achievement gaps

        --Economic segregation in zoning/housing

        --Living wage

        --Hate crimes and discriminatory mistreatment

        --Immigrant rights

        --Hunger

        --Health care

        --Access for people with disabilities

        --Domestic violence

What would be some of the other benefits of Eugene becoming a “Human Rights City”?

        --Reduction of human rights complaints and costly law suits

        --Collaborative problem solving between the City and community groups,  reducing unproductive “we v. they” conflicts

        --An increase in “good government” best practices and effective government

        --A framework for the new Sustainability Commission’s thinking about the “social equity” leg of sustainability

        --A unifying theme for the City’s Diversity and Human Rights Strategic Plan

        --National and international human rights recognition for leading by example

Where can I get more information?

         For further information, contact the City of Eugene Human Rights Program at 833 Willamette Street (Phone 682-5177). 

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