A/HRC/61/49 C. Including cultural rights in nature conservation agendas 44. A cultural rights-based approach to nature conservation requires that States identify and respect cultural rights in the design, funding, management, implementation and monitoring of conservation projects. It entails the inclusion of strong human rights impact assessments in addition to environmental or social impact assessments. It implies and encourages the use of cultural practices and traditional interventions as key ways to address biodiversity loss and climate change.79 Promoting natural spaces and resources as emblematic cultural heritage shaping individual and collective “biocultural” identities is also important. 80 Furthermore, freedom of artistic expression must be recognized as a means to reflect and renew relationships with nature and imagine alternatives.81 45. Ensuring non-discrimination, including in relation to direct, indirect, intersectional and structural discrimination, must be a necessary component of any conservation practice. 82 Special measures are important to ensure substantive equality. The Special Rapporteur is particularly concerned about prejudice and discrimination in State conservation policies, where the practices of specific groups are considered as primitive or backwards and these groups are deprived of their resources and dignity. 46. Intersectional discrimination particularly affects women involved in conservation. Ipili women in the Porgera Valley have reported that they are excluded from high-level decision-making processes regarding land and water use, the conservation of medicinal plants and resource extraction, while male leaders are formally consulted.83 47. Protective measures in conservation programmes often single out Indigenous Peoples, neglecting other individuals and groups. States must also guarantee the cultural rights of peasants, people of African descent, fisherfolk, pastoralists and other communities, often gathered under the banner of “local communities”, whose identities, ways of life and livelihoods are affected by aggressive conservation practices. 48. An intergenerational perspective must also be adopted. Children, youth and older persons may be particularly affected by conservation efforts and can contribute to discussions, including on mitigation measures.84 Children and youth are also the anticipated receivers of ecological knowledge and conservation practices, both traditional and modern. Youth are at the forefront of nature protection movements, including through the Global Youth Biodiversity Network created under the Convention on Biological Diversity. 49. A cultural rights-based approach underlines the need for avenues of redress in case violations occur. Often, recourse to justice for cultural rights violations at the national level is non-existent. At the international level, conservation bodies are reluctant to stop conservation policies even if cultural rights violations are abundant. They lack clear and objective accountability mechanisms and structures. D. Guaranteeing the participation of local communities 50. Participation and consultation are principles of utmost importance to protecting cultural rights in conservation. However, guarantees often remain on paper. 79 80 81 82 83 84 GE.26-01310 For a remarkable example of what can be done, see the 2022 policy paper entitled “The culture for climate agenda: unleashing the power of culture as a pillar of climate action”, submitted, for the United Cities and Local Governments World Congress, by the Climate Heritage Network, Climate Chance, the Global Alliance for the Rights of Humanity, the International Indigenous Women’s Forum and Making Cities Resilient 2030, available at https://agenda21culture.net/sites/default/files/2025-05/th_pp_climate_culture.pdf. Submissions from Colombia and El Salvador; and submission from the Institute for Peace and Leadership. Submissions from Colombia and Mexico; and submissions from Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Diamond Johnny and Kryštof Novotný. A/HRC/14/36, para. 49. Submission from Porgera Red Wara (River) Women’s Association Incorporated, p. 3. See submissions from El Salvador; and Uzbekistan, para. 25 (elders’ role). 13