UCLG Brings the Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees at the Core of the 2030 Agenda and the UN Pact for the Future

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)

Mayor

-

Start of Project

07/01/2023

End of Project

Ongoing

http://www.uclg.org

Overview

United Cities and Local Governments pledged to elevate the protection and inclusion of migrants, refugees, and displaced persons across global development agendas by positioning the Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees as a key component of SDG localisation. Under UCLG’s leadership, the Call to Local Action was recognised by the United Nations within one of the 12 High-Impact Initiatives supporting the rescue of the SDGs. It was highlighted in the Cities Countdown to 2030, at the 2024 Summit of the Future and other UN intergovernmental processes. UCLG also advanced migration and displacement priorities within the Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments, the Urban 20 process, and in the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on IDPs.

Reported Impact [as of November 2025]

The main achievement has been to ensure that local action and human mobility are embedded in global policy debates, while the primary challenges relate to limited funding and coordination constraints. Despite these, UCLG continues its advocacy towards a renewed, inclusive multilateral system.

Call to Local Action - Priority Objectives

Engaging in regional and multilateral partnerships and increasing city-to-city cooperation

Improving migration governance and forced displacement protection