A/74/255 policies, at the national and local levels, which respect international standards and are fully implemented. The Global Public Space toolkit, developed by UN -Habitat to translate global principles into local practice, identifies several constraints on the creation, management and enjoyment of public spaces which must be addressed. 29 Some such constraints have particular relevance to cultural rights, such as the growing commodification of urban sociality, decreasing investment in public spaces and insecurity in these spaces. 33. Public spaces convey messages and meanings, and may reflect specific worldviews or be designed to fulfil particular functions, all of which can evolve over time through the use made of them. Legal frameworks and social norms shape the spectrum of actions and interactions accepted in these spaces. The impact of these contours of public spaces on human rights, cultural rights and cultural diversity should be regularly reassessed. 34. From a cultural rights perspective, a problem may arise when a particular narrative or worldview, whether commercial, religious, political, national or exclusively reflecting the viewpoint of a majority group, becomes overly dominant and renders diversity invisible. The effect, intentional or not, is that publ ic spaces may not be considered as shared spaces welcoming for all. This situation becomes critical when those who have the resources to fill these spaces have an anti -humanrights message. Policies regarding public spaces should give clear priority to messages that promote human rights and inclusion and find ways to respond to and challenge anti-rights or exclusionary agendas. A. The use of public spaces by all 35. Ensuring that public space is the space of all is vital for cultural rights. Obstacles to inclusive public spaces generally include exclusionary policies, social norms or practices; lack of public knowledge about the location and uses of existing public spaces; and threats, violence and harassment. 36. Authorities should: (a) make public spaces and the right of all to access them more widely known; (b) take steps to make these spaces more welcoming; and (c) provide further opportunities for social interaction in them. For example, the Madrid Plan on Social and Intercultural Co-existence 30 is aimed at introducing migrants and newcomers to the city’s public spaces, fostering positive interactions between diverse residents and developing a shared culture around the use of public spaces. 37. While the goal should be inclusion of all sectors of society, some groups of people face particular obstacles in accessing public spaces, which require additional attention. Owing to space restrictions in the present report, not all relevant groups can be covered here. The situation of others, such as migrants a nd older persons, likewise needs targeted attention. Women 38. The full participation of women in public spaces allows them to enjoy their equal cultural rights and to visibly manifest equal citizenship. Gender equality is “an enabler and beneficiary of safe, inclusive and accessible public space”. 31 Taken __________________ 29 30 31 19-13014 UN-Habitat, Global Public Space Toolkit, annex 1. Available at www.madrid.es/UnidadesDescentralizadas/Inmigracion/EspInforma tivos/Madrid Convive/Present/Ficheros/ResumINGLES%20PLAN%20Madrid-WEB-1.pdf. The Conference: The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) (Habitat III secretariat, 2017), p. 92. Available at 11/24