2nd Bologna Expert Roundtable, 23/4/2026
Exploring the role of digital tools for local and regional governments
Alongside representatives of states, local and regional governments (LRGs), international organisations, NGOs and academia, Impact OSS participated at the 2nd Bologna Expert Roundtable on “Local and Regional Governments in the Universal Periodic Review: Data, Digital Tools and Multi-Level Governance”. The event was co-organised by the Geneva Human Rights Hub and the Department of Legal Studies, University of Bologna, and supported by Italy’s Interministerial Committee on Human Rights.
Building on a first Bologna meeting in 2024, focused on National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up (NMIRFs) and data collection, this roundtable addressed how to systematically integrate LRGs into the UPR cycle through localised data, digital tools and structured multi-level governance.
Our trustees Timo Franz and Edith Woischin spoke on interoperability and different governance models for adopting digital tracking tools at the LRG level, specifically exploring centralised and distributed approaches and how the choice between them depends on the political and institutional context. The Scottish Government also presented its experience with the recently launched Human Rights Tracker Scotland, built on IMPACT OSS, as a practical example of a regional government adopting such a tool.
We are truly grateful for and inspired by the rich discussions and have since started work on a concept for a pilot initiative to learn more about LRG challenges and assess the potential of IMPACT OSS to support them.