A/HRC/46/34/Add.1 A. System of cultural governance 29. In 2012, a cultural mapping exercise was conducted and the weakness of the cultural sector was identified. A number of actions that could be taken to address it were proposed. Seven years later, the Department of Culture was still a one-person department under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Rural Development, with a budgetary allocation that only covered that single salary. It does not allow for programming for the implementation of the three goals defined in the national culture policy: strategic plan, 2018–2024: (a) safeguarding heritage; (b) fostering creativity; and (c) mainstreaming culture for community well-being and sustainable development. Accordingly, many of the promotional, awareness-raising and participatory activities necessary to realize the strategic initiatives defined in the strategic plan cannot be conducted or could only be conducted at a minimal level. 30. The Special Rapporteur commends the efforts of the Director of the Department of Culture for trying to make culture a cross-cutting priority throughout the Government and the Te Kakeega III and particularly for engaging with youth and women. One example is the joint initiative with the Ministry of Education to include cultural studies and history in school curricula and to teach traditional craftsmanship in vocational schools. However, at the time of her visit, the initiative was facing difficulties related to the lack of competent trainers. Another example concerns the collaboration with the authorities in charge of the environment to protect historical sites on the Nukulaelae atoll. The Department of Culture has also developed strong collaboration with the UNESCO Office in Apia. She strongly encourages the Government to provide the Department of Culture with all the necessary resources, including human resources, needed for this important work to continue and expand. This is essential for meeting international obligations and fulfilling the relevant provisions of the Constitution. 31. To ensure the timely implementation of the national culture policy: strategic plan, the Government should consider establishing the Cultural Council, which was provided for in the Tuvalu Cultural Council Act of 1991, revised in 2008. The Act designates this body to be in charge of the coordination, implementation and monitoring of the national culture policy (section 3). 32. Due to the falekaupule, consultative decision-making processes have high standing in Tuvaluan society. The Special Rapporteur was pleased to learn that women have started to participate more actively in those bodies, due in part to the interaction with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Such positive developments need to be fully supported and encouraged so that women’s voices are fully integrated into political debates and into decision-making at all levels. As holders of this mandate have repeatedly stressed, women’s participation in the interpretation, elaboration and development of cultural heritage, in the reformulation of cultural identities and in defining and implementing policies and decisions that have an impact on the exercise of cultural rights is essential.11 Considering the important role played by local government in the field of culture at large, she was also pleased to hear that some kaupule leaders saw culture as a dynamic process, as this view was critical to enabling social change and providing the freedom necessary for the exercise of everyone’s cultural rights. The Special Rapporteur encourages all members of the kaupules to foster more space for critical discourse and to find ways to increase the participation of youth, persons with disabilities and women in their deliberations. B. Cultural diversity, identity and language 33. During her visit, the Special Rapporteur heard many Tuvaluans speak about the strength and diversity of specific island identities, and she noted the pride with which Tuvaluans continued to refer to their native islands, even after residing in Funafuti or overseas for a number of years. This diversity should be further celebrated. For example, the diversity of songs, myths and stories from all the islands should be an integral part of school curricula and be featured in language and history teaching. 11 8 See, e.g., A/67/287; and A/71/317, paras. 11, 58 and 78 (q).