At a moment when global governance is strained by overlapping crises—inequality, climate change, and democratic disconnect—local governments are staking out a new political project that positions decentralized public action at the heart of social renewal. United Cities and Local Governments’ (UCLG) Local Social Covenant is not merely a policy framework; it signals a shift in how governance is imagined and practiced from the ground up.
Unlike traditional multilateral instruments negotiated by national executives in closed rooms, the Local Social Covenant emerges from structured dialogue between locally elected leaders and organized civil society, grounded in everyday governance realities and rooted in civic legitimacy. It seeks to bridge local realities with global commitments in pursuit of a renewed social contract that places people and planet at the center of policymaking.
From local service delivery to shared political commitments
Local governments have long been recognized as the providers of essential public services—housing, health, food systems, culture, and more. But the Covenant reframes these functions as political commitments, not just service delivery mechanisms. Rather than focusing solely on institutional capabilities or technical outputs, it asks: What values and priorities should shape our collective governance agendas?
At the heart of the Covenant are three core political commitments that cut across thematic areas:
- Care as a feminist principle of governance and public responsibility—recognizing interdependence, valuing caregiving, and placing well-being at the center of decisions.
- Anti-discrimination and anti-racism as ethical imperatives to ensure that governance systems uphold human rights and inclusion, not just formal equality.
- Youth participation as genuine power-sharing, positioning young leaders as co-creators of policy rather than passive recipients of governance outcomes.
Designed to inform the next UCLG World Congress (Tangier, June 2026), the Covenant translates these commitments into a series of thematic “letters” that connect local practice with collective political vision. These letters cover a broad range of governance priorities—adequate housing for all, food security and zero hunger, conflict prevention, health for all, climate justice, cultural rights, access to local finance, and new essential services—creating a public and traceable record of shared commitments and aspirations.
Why this matters: decentralization meets multilateralism
What makes the Local Social Covenant noteworthy for decentralization advocates and practitioners is its reconceptualization of local governments as political actors in global governance, not just implementers of national or international mandates. It advances a model of local multilateralism in which cities and regions form networked political constituencies that bring the voices of communities, civil society, and elected leaders into global policy discourse.
This approach intersects with broader shifts in global governance:
- It aligns with subsidiarity by arguing that local governments are closest to citizens, uniquely positioned to translate rights into services and everyday outcomes.
- It reflects participatory and multi-stakeholder governance, integrating organized civil society, unions, women’s and youth networks, Indigenous communities, and academic partners in co-creating political commitments.
- It positions local public service delivery as the foundational mechanism for realizing social rights and societal cohesion.
For decentralization proponents, this reframes the narrative. The challenge isn’t simply more local autonomy or finance, but how local decision-making and political agency become central pillars of global policy agendas that were once the sole province of national governments and international institutions.
Governance in practice: structured political dialogue
The Local Social Covenant operationalizes this political vision through a structured political dialogue between UCLG’s Policy Councils (locally elected leaders) and the Town Hall (organized civil society). This iterative written exchange – captured in thematic letters – is as much a political instrument as it is a procedural tool, emphasizing accountability, shared language, and transparency.
Rather than a static declaration, the Covenant represents a living political journey—a series of commitments that evolve through dialogue, negotiation, and shared experience. It points toward a future where local governance does not simply execute global goals but helps shape them.
Conclusion: a new social contract from the ground up
The Local Social Covenant is more than a collection of commitments—it is a political platform that reframes decentralization as a source of governance renewal at local, national, and global scales. It pivots the focus from decentralization as technical reform to decentralization as democratic practice: where citizens, civil society, and local leaders co-create shared social priorities and hold themselves accountable through public dialogue. If adopted and acted upon, the Covenant could mark a watershed moment in how decentralized governance articulates its value not only in service delivery but in shaping the global social contract itself.
Read more on UCLG’s website: https://uclg.org/localsocialcovenant/
Note: The Feature Image was generated with the help of AI.
