A/HRC/42/22 could be helpful, and that the United Nations might consider developing new monitoring mechanisms to support local implementation of recommendations. The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law suggested that the United Nations could support a publication detailing what a human rights-based approach would mean in the local context. 49. The United Nations has a convening power to provide spaces for the discussion of ways to foster cooperation between local governments and local stakeholders for the promotion and protection of human rights. Issues concerning human rights and local government have been discussed in the Geneva-based human rights forums. For instance, the second Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, held in November 2018, in calling for States to take a human rights-based approach to addressing migration, recommended that parliaments promote an inclusive dialogue on migration, involving, inter alia, local authorities (A/HRC/40/65, para. 40). At the 2018 Social Forum, the Head of Sustainability of the International Olympic Committee pointed out that, for Olympic host cities to effectively leverage mega sporting events, governments and local authorities should see them as part of their long-term development plans (A/HRC/40/72, para. 37). It has been suggested that one of these meetings might in coming years focus on local government and human rights.81 50. Working alongside United Nations entities can help local governments to deliver on their human rights responsibilities. For instance, the work performed by the state of Coahuila de Zaragoza with OHCHR Mexico, civil society and academia led to the drafting of a State human rights programme and the decision of Coahuila de Zaragoza to join the “Free and Equal” campaign to counter discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community. The city of Graz (Austria) engages with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on several different programmes, including in relation to human rights cities.82 In Hungary, the city of Budapest worked in partnership with the International Organization for Migration to establish a migrant information service. The technical assistance provided by OHCHR Uganda delivered human rights capacity-building, awareness-raising and human rights mechanisms strengthening to local governments. The UNDP decentralization and local governance project is fostering cooperation between local government and local stakeholders to facilitate the effective promotion and protection of human rights in Pakistan by, inter alia, supporting provincial governments in developing human rights policies, and local government capacity-building. VI. Major challenges faced by local governments in the promotion and protection of human rights 51. Local governments face various challenges to the realization of human rights. 83 They may lack autonomy or experience difficulty in liaising with other levels of government. They may encounter a decline in resources or greater pressure on their services. They may also face the impact of structural changes at the national level on local policies, the changing agendas of central governments, or difficulty in establishing local mechanisms to enforce respect for human rights. Some local authorities may lack awareness of or commitment to their human rights responsibilities. 52. Financial resources and economic constraints are major challenges for local governments. For instance, in Trinidad and Tobago, a lack of funding prevented local councillors from implementing all their plans. Wider economic issues affecting a country and region may also have an impact on local governments. In Barcelona (Spain), the economic crisis of 2008 still poses challenges today; inequality and poverty rates have 81 82 83 Submission by the State of Hawaii and City of Honolulu. See www.etc-graz.at/typo3/index.php?id=1371 and submission by the International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights at Local and Regional Levels. The Advisory Committee found that the main challenges for local governments in the protection and promotion of human rights are political, economic and administrative; see A/HRC/30/49, para. 31. 13