This year’s second report of the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Ms. Alexandra Xanthaki, focuses on “Development and cultural rights: the international governance”. Key findings include the rejection by some organisations of their responsibility to respect cultural rights, the lack of understanding of their scope and how they relate to the work of the organisations, and the predominance of economic development or other interests.  Recognition of the cultural dimension, and in particular cultural rights, of sustainable development remains a challenge. Major international development organisations such as the IMF, WIPO, World Bank, WTO, UNESCO and UNHCR have not yet developed clear processes to mitigate and prevent violations of cultural rights and to promote their realisation in development. 

The Special Rapporteur will be presenting her reports to UN General Assembly this week, on Wednesday 18 October, 4 pm, New York time (10 pm CET). 

Report Development and cultural rights: the international governance (available in all UN languages)

The Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Ms. Alexandra Xanthaki, newly appointed October 2021, has presented her first report to the 49th session of the Human Rights Council.
The first version of the report, focusing on capturing the state of the art, was published via the OHCHR website and can be downloaded here.
An important focus of the Special Rapporteur will be the realisation of substantive equality in the exercise of cultural right.