A local human rights budget can

(1) align local budgetary policies with national human rights obligations, serving to further the achievement of human rights goals;

(2) address gaps in social protections and other local government services that are made visible and actionable through a human rights analysis; and

(3) increase public satisfaction with local government by improving transparency, accountability, inclusion, and equity, all of which are embedded in the human rights-based budgeting process.

On this third point, a recent study conducted by the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) tested public responses to increased public engagement with local city budget processes in Macedonia. The findings were striking.

According to the report, "Respondents who have seen the municipal budget are more likely to answer that the budget reflects citizens’ needs. Also, respondents who think that the municipality is fully transparent are more likely to answer that the municipality fully takes care of marginalised populations." The ICLD further found that "citizens who say that the municipality consults them in the budget preparation are more likely to say that the budget fully reflects their needs."

In sum, local human rights not only provides a means to ensure human rights of residents, but can also increase residents' satisfaction with the budgeting process itself. Module 2, which follows next, will provide greater detail on methods for implementing a local human rights budgeting process.