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UNESCO partners with Sweden to launch phase III of a project to strengthen policies for creativity and artistic freedom
Between 2022 and 2025, Bolivia, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Lao PDR, Mexico, South Sudan, and Sudan will receive technical assistance to develop their country’s Quadrennial Periodic Report, an instrument of the , which aims to monitor the policies and measures adopted to implement the Convention at the national level, as well as the state of the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) worldwide. Additionally, Indonesia, Peru and Senegal will be supported to address gender inequalities in the CCIs through participatory policy design.
Towards strengthened policy dialogue at the national level
It is not very usual in Laos for artists and government bodies to come together and have a chance to talk, network, share information. [The artist’s talks] had such a positive ambiance where artists could speak about future possible collaboration with officials’ authorities in Laos PDR.
In December 2022, Lao People’s Democratic Republic held open consultations on the state of the CCIs in the country bringing together public and civil society actors, including artists and cultural professionals. Participants highlighted how the project opened new channels of cooperation to improve policy making that will strengthen the CCIs and promote artistic freedom.
As part of the project, seven other countries (Bolivia, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Mexico, South Sudan, and Sudan) will be supported to facilitate inclusive policy dialogues, bringing together diverse stakeholders in the CCIs to exchange on current practices, challenges, and recommendations, as well as to orient data collection mechanisms which will help develop their country’s Quadrennial Periodic Report.
Promoting gender equality in the cultural and creative industries
Moving from policy monitoring to policy making, a pilot project on gender equality in the CCIs will be implemented in Indonesia, Peru and Senegal. This aspect of the project aims to support the design and implementation of a gender-transformative action plan for each country. As highlighted in the 2022 Global Report, gender equality is a priority for the development of inclusive and diverse creative sectors.
Building on past projects in the three partner countries, this project aims to upscale the interventions tackling gender inequalities in the CCIs, such as the lack of comprehensive data on gender equality or unequal opportunities for senior positions within creative enterprises.
Global knowledge-sharing on policies for creativity
At the global level, the project will continue to develop tools to share good practices, track the implementation of the 2005 Convention, and analyse new trends and innovative policies to promote the diversity of cultural expressions. The is a unique tool in this sense as it includes more than 4,000 policies and measures for creativity from QPRs submitted by 116 Parties to the Convention.
Peer-to-peer learning between countries will also be enhanced throughout the project as it is increasingly recognised as a powerful means to inspire good practices for policy-making processes, as highlighted in the 2022 .
As the world adapts to emerging challenges, the CCIs provide an opportunity for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, especially in countries of the Global South. The project ReIShaping Policies for Creativity and Artistic Freedom is a timely occasion to strengthen the potential of the CCIs to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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