A/HRC/43/50 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 20 January 2020 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-third session 24 February–20 March 2020 Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Cultural rights defenders Report of the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights* Summary The aim of the present report is to raise awareness about the work of cultural rights defenders – human rights defenders who defend cultural rights in accordance with international standards – and to increase the attention and assistance they receive. The report includes an overview of the diverse kinds of human rights work that cultural rights defenders engage in, the challenges and risks they face, and the international legal framework that enables their work, and offers specific recommendations as to how to better support and protect them. * The document was submitted late to conference services without the explanation required under paragraph 8 of General Assembly resolution 53/208 B. GE.20-00811(E) 