A/HRC/37/55/Add.1 2. Protecting cultural spaces 53. The Special Rapporteur heard particular concerns about the impact of privatizations ⸻ and the way in which they had been conducted ⸻ on public spaces and cultural sites, which are critical to the enjoyment of cultural rights. In Mitrovica/Mitrovicë, the Special Rapporteur was informed that there were no cinemas, except for one space in the cultural centre, which is only sporadically used as a movie theatre. However, she was very pleased to hear that civil society campaigning in Prizren under the rubric “Lumbardhi public again” had been successful in saving the Lumbardhi cinema, and she commends the relevant authorities for responding to this demand. 54. The Special Rapporteur received reports about the lack of adequate consultations with the concerned population about cultural projects. This was reported to be the case regarding the refurbishment of the Mitrovica/Mitrovicë bridge, which is in an area that is especially important for joint cultural programming. However, others insisted that such consultations had been conducted, but that people did not take part. The response to this was that there was a lack of public confidence that input would be heeded. Authorities need to continue to engage in consultations, and in an inclusive and meaningful way. 3. Equality and inclusion 55. Displaced Serbs originally from Kosovo and wishing to return there recounted the difficulties they experienced due to the lack of adequate educational opportunities in the Serbian language. This sometimes results in youth having to use military transport to travel to school and to do so over long distances. Consequently, families have had to move to allow for the schooling of their children. The equal enjoyment of cultural rights is also a critical component of enabling sustainable return. 56. The Special Rapporteur notes with satisfaction the adoption of the law on gender equality, and the quotas for women’s participation in public institutions. To date, however, no significant steps have been taken to reach this goal, and the Special Rapporteur regrets that the authorities have declared that these standards are only “guidance”, rather than binding provisions. Women’s equal cultural rights, including their right to access and enjoy cultural heritage, must be fully implemented. Indeed, the Special Rapporteur was pleased by the large number of highly qualified women cultural heritage experts with whom she was able to meet, including from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, as well as from the Prizren Council on Cultural Heritage, among museum professionals and in the civil society sector. 57. Likewise, the Special Rapporteur welcomes the strategy on the rights of persons with disabilities. However, she hopes that in addition to its full implementation, greater attention will be given to their access to cultural life and heritage. The Mitrovica/Mitrovicë cultural centre, which she visited, does not have an elevator, so that the very meeting room used for her civil society consultations would not have been accessible to participants in wheelchairs. The main meeting room at UNMIK itself is not accessible by elevator. 4. Fundamentalism 58. Diverse stakeholders, including religious leaders, officials and women human rights defenders, shared their preoccupations about the impact of radicalization and religious fundamentalism.11 This was reportedly due in part to funding coming from Gulf countries. 12 Women human rights defenders noted pressure on women in some cases to change their mode of dressing and adopt veiling, and that some individuals now refused to shake the hand of a person from another religion.13 Members of the Muslim clergy who spoke out against extremists sometimes received threats or were attacked. Many said that a preventive approach and education were key to tackling this problem and protecting the traditionally more tolerant approach to religion. This is not only a security issue but a question of human 11 12 13 10 On the cultural rights impact of fundamentalism and extremism, see A/HRC/34/56. Carlotta Gall, “How Kosovo was turned into fertile ground for ISIS”, New York Times, 21 May 2016. On the impact of fundamentalisms on the cultural rights of women, see A/72/155.