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Flagship Programme 3 of UNESCO's operational strategy for Priority Africa 2022 - 2029 aims to fostering cultural heritage and capacity development in African Member States.

During the ministerial panel, which featured the participation of Ms. Ummi Bashir, discussions revolved around emerging global challenges, particularly COVID-19 and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and their impact on women’s economic empowerment and cultural heritage.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Women in the Cultural Sector

The pandemic posed severe challenges for women working in cultural industries. In Kenya, many artisans and craftswomen, particularly those in beadwork and handmade crafts, faced significant economic hardship when local markets were shut down.

To address these challenges, Kenya has taken steps to ensure that women at the bottom of the economic pyramid are not left behind when economic disruptions prevent them from accessing traditional marketplaces. Recognizing limited access to global markets, the government has prioritized capacity-building programs to help women expand their reach internationally and leverage the art industry as a crucial driver of economic empowerment.

Harnessing AI and Digital capacity for Cultural Preservation and Women’s Empowerment

Kenya has been actively exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in its cultural sector. AI tools are being developed to:

• Enhance effective cultural preservation

• Promote copyright protection

• Support cultural policy development in creative industries

 highlights Kenya’s constitutional commitment to cultural heritage, as outlined in the Constitution of Kenya (2010) and several national policies, such as:

• The Kenya Cultural Centre Act

• The Copyright Act

• The Films and Stage Plays Act

• The National Museums and Heritage Act

• The Kenya Heroes Act (2014)

• The Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions Act (2016)

However, policy gaps remain regarding the integration of AI into cultural heritage preservation. The Kenyan National Policy on Culture and Heritage (2020) recognizes ICT as a key tool for cultural safeguarding, yet AI applications in the sector remain underdeveloped.

Several county governments are also stepping in, with initiatives like:

• The Kajiado Culture and Heritage Policy

• Kakamega County Sector Plan for Social Protection, Culture, and Recreation (2023-2032)

• Makueni County Arts, Culture, and Heritage Policy (2022)

In parallel, Kenya’s creative economy is evolving rapidly, with the Draft Creative Economy Policy and the Creative Industries Bill (2023) aiming to leverage emerging technologies for the advancement of Kenyan culture.

Kenya’s strong connectivity infrastructure has fueled digital innovation in cultural preservation. Several projects are leveraging technology to safeguard Kenya’s cultural heritage, including:

The Zamani Project – Digitizing and preserving African historical sites through 3D virtual reality models. Sites archived include:

• The Great Mosque of Gede

• The Lamu Fort

• The Swahili House Museum in Lamu

Global Agenda for Gender Towards MONDIACULT 2025

As MONDIACULT 2025 approaches, Ms. Ummi Bashir emphasized the importance of:

• Celebrating progress on SDGs

• Advocating for a standalone Gender Goal

• Ensuring gender is integrated across all aspects of cultural policy

91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ consistently documented and supported cultural policy development, revealing persistent structural inequalities despite women comprising nearly 50% of cultural occupations. Women remain underrepresented or stereotyped in cultural content and practices.

• Only 31% of executive management positions in arts, entertainment, and recreation are held by women.

• Only 25% of World Heritage site managers are women.
  Women are severely underrepresented in creative industries, especially those linked to new technologies.

• 74% of violations against women artists and artworks depicting women involve censorship.

• Women artists face threats not only for their work but also for their opinions, attire, and activism. Many are scaling back their online presence due to abuse and self-censorship.

The situation worsens in crisis and emergency contexts, where women face higher safety risks than their male counterparts, requiring tailored approaches.

Against these challenges, UNESCO remains committed to gender equality in the cultural sector through its normative instruments, funding mechanisms, and advocacy actions. Recognized in the United Nations’ Pact for the Future (2024), culture plays a key role in economic development, social progress, and peacebuilding.

Marking 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 2025 presents a critical opportunity to advance gender equality in cultural policies. With evidence-backed advocacy and targeted research, UNESCO and its Member States continue working toward a more inclusive and equitable cultural sector.

With the UNESCO MONDIACULT 2025 Conference on the horizon, these discussions lay the groundwork for a global agenda that bridges cultural heritage, gender equality, and technological advancement as Ministers of Culture will meet again to share their vision of the future of culture policies.