The Right to Take Part to Cultural Life: General Comment No. 21 of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Abstract

The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has adopted a General Comment on «the right to participate in cultural life». This is an important contribution to the understanding of cultural rights, in the context of human rights, and to their implementation by States Parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. For too long, cultural rights have received little attention by international human rights monitoring bodies. It is important to look at cultural human rights because States’ policies are showing some difficulties in managing a proper application of cultural rights in wider multicultural societies. This article looks at the main issues raised in this recent General Comment adopted in December 2009.