A/HRC/40/53
Popularizing the human rights message
51.
Special Rapporteurs must contend with twenty-first-century human rights challenges
using twentieth-century tools, which need updating. They must be enabled to make their
reports and interactive dialogues more compelling and interesting to a broader audience,
including through the use of cultural items such as artwork, graphics and photographs.
52.
The Special Rapporteur disseminates information about the mandate on the mandate
website, via a mailing list and the Twitter handle @UNSRCulture. She hopes to popularize
the hashtag #CulturalRights. Both she and the OHCHR staff would benefit from increased
technical and financial support to develop a range of other means of communication with
the public, including through greater use of social media and new communications
technology. Video versions of reports, including short summary videos for YouTube and
other outlets, as well as visual content for platforms such as Instagram, should be
systematically prepared.
53.
One of the most significant challenges that all special procedures mandate holders
face is how to mobilize shame in an increasingly shame-free political world, where
sometimes even discrimination, hate speech and open defence of human rights violations,
even at the highest levels, have been normalized.
B.
Challenges in the field of cultural rights
54.
In the area of cultural rights, one of the biggest challenges remains cultural
relativism. Going forward, it will be important to continue making the distinction between
cultural rights, which amplify rights and are protected by universal human rights law, and
cultural relativism, which diminishes rights in the name of culture and has been repudiated
by international law.
55.
The Special Rapporteur also frequently confronts the view, even in some human
rights circles, that cultural rights are less important than other rights and can be set aside in
contexts of crises, conflicts or austerity. Even some working in the field of what is too often
simply called “economic and social rights,” forget cultural rights. It is critical to insist on
the “C” in “ESC” rights and to constantly reiterate the centrality of cultural rights to the
human rights framework and the human experience.
56.
A related perennial problem is that of insufficient funding for the culture sector in all
regions of the world. There can be no real movement forward on cultural rights without
adequate funding, at least meeting the UNESCO target of 1 per cent of total government
expenditure devoted to culture.
IV. Advances in cultural rights around the world
A.
Developments at the international level
57.
Since 2010, the number of States parties to the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights has increased by 9, bringing the total to 169. The Optional
Protocol, adopted in 2008, has entered into force and 24 States parties have ratified or
acceded to it, 17 of which have done so since 2010. The Special Rapporteur regularly urges
adherence to and implementation of these instruments in her reports and calls on civil
society to submit more cases and information concerning article 15 of the Covenant to the
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
58.
Throughout their work, both mandate holders on cultural rights have made
recommendations to stakeholders in relevant fields to integrate cultural rights into their
work. Since 2009, there have been noticeable developments in the use of human rights
language and approaches in various fields of culture. A number of organizations now refer
explicitly to cultural rights, going beyond the request for “access to culture” to demand
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