Interarts Foundation

January 2005

Participation in cultural life has been understood to include several other rights such as freedom of thought, conscience, religion, expression, the right to use one's language, the conservation of culture, etc. 'These rights are central to participation in cultural life and allow individuals and groups of people to follow, adopt of create a way of life of their own choice.'"

This 14-page paper, which was presented at the 3rd Forum on Human Development ("Cultural Identity, Democracy and Global Equity", Paris, January 17-19 2005), establishes cultural rights as a framework for participation. It draws on this framework to identify a series of indicators for measuring progress in the implementation of cultural rights.

Strategies presented in this paper draw on the conviction that an enabling and proactive environment for access, participation and community action facilitates and fosters the sense of inclusion and enjoyment of rights. Thus, while strengthening legal
instruments and policies is an important step in the recognition of cultural freedom, it is protecting "the right to take part in cultural life" that is key, from the author's perspective. In essence, this principle holds that people should have certain rights to guarantee their ability to express, consume, and have access to culture of their own choice, and that without the right to participate in cultural life, people are unable to develop the cultural and social bonds that hold societies together. The idea is that, when people are equipped with the means of access and participation, they can use action and voices to influence policy, protect human rights, and hold their governments accountable. The right to take part in cultural life includes such elements as freedom of expression and creation, protection of cultural heritage, cultural diversity, cultural and minority rights, language policies, access to means of communication and expression, access to information, rights of cultural minorities to maintain and develop their culture, freedom of belief and religion, cultural education, and appearance of new cultural expressions.

The author contends that "there are no structures for the systematic follow-up of cultural rights violations nor frameworks of exhaustive qualifications to measure how cultural rights or cultural freedoms are implicated." To address this void, she presents a number of tools of measurement. Namely, one of the basic indicators of cultural rights is the ratification of international human and cultural rights instruments. The author cites Stephen Marks' list of elements to measure access to cultural life on a global level:

• Use of languages
• Education (including schooling for girls)
• Creation and conservation of culture
• Conservation
• Dissemination
• Protection of objects of cultural value
• Protection of movable cultural property

Second, in order to assess the implementation of the right to take part in cultural life on a state level, the author proposes the following measures:

• Use of lesser-used languages in internet and broadcasting (including number of
  licences) and in print and media
• Destruction of cultural heritage (for example, in times of armed conflict)
• Educational programmes
• Understanding on the part of individuals/communities of this right and its fulfilment
• Protection of artists, creators, transmitters and interpreters of culture
• Access of disadvantaged individuals and communities to cultural services and cultural
  places (including heritage sites)
• Access to education

Third, the author explains that many effects of cultural cohesion/exclusion manifest themselves at the local or community level. In order to map out the elements that community members consider fundamental in relation to the enjoyment of their cultural rights and commitments, the Barcelona, Spain-based Interarts Foundation carried out a research exercise on the key elements of cultural rights in the city through a participatory process of community dialogue. The outcome of the process was a Charter that enables the identification of certain indicators of the right to participate in cultural life in a city; these indicators include:

• The use of public space for cultural activities and events
• The time devoted to rituals, celebrations, art and cultural activities
• Resources and spaces available for cultural associations
• Time used in cultural activities for different citizens and communities
• Anti-discrimination policies and initiatives developed by local authorities
• Access to cultural services, arts and creativity
• Share of women in art and culture education, production and administration
• Access to and availability of the internet and media

The paper concludes with two additional examples of participatory processes that enabled elaboration of cultural rights indicators in concrete regional settings. For instance, Interarts undertook a research project that involved a consultative process with regional experts to develop cultural indicators of human development from an African perspective. What emerged from that March 2004 meeting in Maputo, Mozambique was a list of main areas of focus, along with indicators:

• Linguistic pluralism, which is measured by: documentation of minority and endangered languages, development of community media in local languages, officialisation of indigenous national languages
• Mother tongue education, which is measured by: production of education and leisure material, policies related to the provision of language tuition and use in schools
• Curricular reviews to enhance cultural diversity, which is measured by: updated curricula at all levels, inclusive of cultural education
• Religious freedoms, which is measured by: fair treatment and recognition of public holidays, protection of religious institutions and places of worship, inclusion of religious diversity in schools
• Multiple identities, which is measured by: support for indigenous minorities, protection of cultural expressions, banning of all forms of discrimination, fostering tolerance through the production of education material