A/HRC/17/38/Add.1 materials for teaching the history of Afro-Brazilians, and for dissemination through other media. IV. A. Cultural rights in Brazil: challenges and achievements The right to take part in cultural life 47. The initial assessment on access to cultural goods and facilities, used in formulating the NPC in 2003, indicated a number of issues: reading habits and the attendance at theatres, museums and cinemas was limited to a small portion of the Brazilian population; cultural infrastructure, services and public resources in the field of culture were concentrated in certain regions, territories and social groups; traditional populations were unable to fully exercise their cultural rights because the means to ensure the promotion and protection of indigenous cultures and Afro-Brazilian groups were insufficient. Following this assessment, universal access to culture was incorporated as a primary goal of the NPC, and a number of programmes were instituted to promote the right to take part in cultural life through the promotion of Brazilian culture. 1. Culture Points Programme 48. The Culture Points Programme (CPP), created in 2007, is an agreement between CSOs to support and further stimulate existing cultural community initiatives and projects. Like acupuncture points that stimulate and re-energize the health and vitality of the human body, through its projects, the CPP aims to stimulate access to culture, energize the production of cultural values and goods, and enhance the participation of Brazilians in cultural life in all its manifestations. Each project is intended to gain visibility, attract citizenship interest and stimulate broader participation. 49. The CPP began with partnership agreements between the Ministry of Culture and 445 CSOs and now includes more than 2,000 projects. Selected through public tenders, each CCP beneficiary receives a grant of 180,000 reais for a three-year period. Grant funds are used in various ways by the beneficiaries. Past usage has included capacity-building activities; the purchase of instruments, as well as design and multimedia equipment, and the production of cultural spectacles and events. The cultural points have stimulated considerable engagement, as intended, but some stakeholders expressed concern about the lack of policies to ensure long-term project sustainability. However, the independent expert was informed that support provided to cultural point projects may, in some instances, be renewed and that, in states like Bahia, some cultural point projects, such as those related to museums and libraries, have enjoyed continuous funding,. 50. The lack of clear and objective criteria for selecting future cultural point projects was a concern raised. The independent expert was informed that, in general, the quality of the proposal, that is, its expected result, is usually a criterion. Projects from remote areas that score poorly on the Human Development Index, as well as those from groups that are traditionally excluded may be given priority. 51. The need to achieve universal coverage was a major concern highlighted by stakeholders in connection with this programme. While there is room for improvment, the 12