Gender equality Artistic freedom Policies and measures promote gender equality in the culture and media sectors Policies and measures promote and protect freedoms of creation and expression and participation in cultural life Monitoring systems evaluate levels of representation, participation and access of women in the culture and media sectors Policies and measures promote and protect the social and economic rights of artists and cultural professionals International and national legislation related to human rights and fundamental freedoms is implemented and promotes gender equality and artistic freedom State parties to the 2005 Convention must report specifically on gender issues as well as artistic freedom. As gender equality intersects with all areas monitored under the Convention, it has been an ongoing discussion between experts linked to the Convention as well as state parties and civil society on how and why gender equality should be monitored specifically in its “own box” rather than integrated into all other areas of monitoring. The answer is rather simple. It should be integrated into all areas, but as the gender equality chapter in the UNESCO 2018 global report points out, a “multifaceted gender gap persists in almost all cultural fields in most parts of the world, it is necessary to conduct specific research and monitor gender aspects as an area of its own.” Although progress has been made in several cultural sectors in many countries, a gender gap persists in culture. 31