E/C.12/GC/21
United Nations
Economic and Social Council
Distr.: General
21 December 2009
Original: English
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Forty-third session
2–20 November 2009
General comment No. 21
Right of everyone to take part in cultural life (art. 15, para. 1 (a), of the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
I.
Introduction and basic premises
1.
Cultural rights are an integral part of human rights and, like other rights, are
universal, indivisible and interdependent. The full promotion of and respect for cultural
rights is essential for the maintenance of human dignity and positive social interaction
between individuals and communities in a diverse and multicultural world.
2.
The right of everyone to take part in cultural life is closely related to the other
cultural rights contained in article 15: the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress
and its applications (art. 15, para. 1 (b)); the right of everyone to benefit from the protection
of moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production
of which they are the author (art. 15, para. 1 (c)); and the right to freedom indispensable for
scientific research and creative activity (art. 15, para. 3). The right of everyone to take part
in cultural life is also intrinsically linked to the right to education (arts. 13 and 14), through
which individuals and communities pass on their values, religion, customs, language and
other cultural references, and which helps to foster an atmosphere of mutual understanding
and respect for cultural values. The right to take part in cultural life is also interdependent
on other rights enshrined in the Covenant, including the right of all peoples to
self-determination (art. 1) and the right to an adequate standard of living (art. 11).
3.
The right of everyone to take part in cultural life is also recognized in article 27,
paragraph 1, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “everyone has
the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community”. Other international
instruments refer to the right to equal participation in cultural activities;1 the right to
participate in all aspects of social and cultural life;2 the right to participate fully in cultural
1
2
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, art. 5 (e) (vi).
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, art. 13 (c).
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