Cultural Rights in International Law

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E.J.I.L.2010,21(4),1111-1115E.J.I.L.2010,21(4),1111-1115Vadi26210

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E.J.I.L.2010,21(4),1111-1115

EuropeanJournalofInternationalLaw

2010

CulturalRightsinInternationalLaw

ElsaStamatopoulouReviewedbyValentinaSaraVadi©2012OxfordUniversityPress

Subject:Humanrights.OtherRelatedSubject:Artsandculture.Internationallaw

*1111DoesManhavearighttoculture?Canpeoplefreelyexpresstheirownculturaldistinctiveness,beitinalanguage,physicalappearance,oraspecificsetofnormsandvalues?Shouldthestateintervenetosup-portandprotectculturalrightsofindividuals,minoritygroups,oreventhemajority?Andwhatrolecantheinternationalcommunityplayinthisendeavourtofurtherculturalrights?Canacarefulandbalancedscru-tinyofculturalclaimscontributetoaconstructive‘dialogueamongcivilizations’?1Doesculturenecessarilyclashwithotherhumanrights?NotwithstandingearlycaselawandtheformalentryofculturalrightsintothehumanrightscatalogueafterWorldWarII,2culturalrightshavebeenneglectedforalongtimeandhavebeenlessdevelopedthancivil,political,economic,andsocialrights.3Thebookunderreviewgivesanex-cellentandsystematicoverviewoftheexistinglawandpracticeconcerningculturalrightsand,byofferinganswerstothequestionsmentionedabove,surelycontributestothedevelopmentoflegaldoctrine.

Internationallegalinstrumentsdonotincludearighttoculture,butrefertoculturalrights(at110).Culturalrightsincludeaseriesofdifferententitlements,suchastherighttoeducation,therighttoparticipatein*1112culturallife,therighttoenjoythebenefitsofscientificprogress,thefreedomforscientificresearch,andthepossibilityforindividualstospeaktheirowndialects,tonameafew.Thereasonsculturalrightsarealessdevelopedlegalcategoryvis-à-visotherhumanrightsarecomplexandhavealegalandpoliticalnature.Fromalegalstandpoint,culturalrightsremaindifficulttodefine.Culturehasafluidandelusivenature,beingnotastaticconceptbutratheradynamicforcewhichadoptsdifferentformsacrosstimeandspace.4Definitionsofculture,thus,rarelysucceedincapturingitsessence.Fromapoliticalstandpoint,gov-ernmentshavefearedthatculturalentitlementscoulddetermineclaimsofself-determinationandultimatelyjeopardizenationalunity.Inthissense,scholarshaveemphasizedthelinkbetweenculture,politics,andin-ternationalconflicts.5Inaddition,culturalrightshavebeenperceivedaslessimportantthanotherhumanrights.6Someauthorsevenarguedthattheculturalprovisionsintheexistinglegalinstrumentsdonotestab-lishrealrights,butratherpoliticalcommitmentsofaprogrammaticcharacter.Finally,authorshavedis-cussedhowculturalelementsmayclashwithotherhumanrightsstandards.7

Stamatopoulouclarifiesthatculturalentitle-mentsdonotnecessarilyclashwithotherhumanrightsand,ifaconflictarises,internationallawinstrumentsaddressthistensioninfavourofinternationallyproclaimedhumanrights.8Forinstance,theUNESCODeclarationonCulturalDiversitystatesthatnoonemayinvokeculturaldiversitytoinfringeuponhumanrightsguaranteedbyinternationallaw,nortolimittheirscope.9Stamatopouloualsostressesthelegalnatureofculturalrightsandanalysestheexistinglegalinstrumentsinthefield.Whileamoreanalyticalapproachwouldhavebeenwelcome,thisdescriptiveparthasthemerit

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systematicallytoillustratetherecentlegaldevelopmentsinthefield,includingreferencetosoftlawinstru-ments.Whiletheauthoracknowledgesthatthesignificanceofaninternationalsoftlawinstrumentshouldnotbeoveremphasized,shehighlightsthatsoftlawmaybecome‘asiteofpositiveideologicalexchange’(at35).

ChaptersIIandIIIdealwithculturaldiversity.ChapterIIincludesadescriptionoftherelevantinternationallegalinstruments.Moreinterestingly,theauthoralsoreviewstheroleoftheUnitedNationstreatybodieswithrespecttotherighttoparticipateinculturallife.Untiltheendof2009,theCommitteeonEconomicSocialandCulturalRightshadissuedonlyGeneralCommentNo.17onArticle15(1)(c)oftheInternationalCovenant*1113onEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights,10regardingauthors'righttobenefitfromtheprotectionofthemoralandmaterialinterestsresultingfromtheirscientific,literary,orartisticproduction.Stamatopoulouemphasizestheneedforfurtherreflection,stressingthattheCommitteedidnotfocusoncul-turalrightsadequately(at51).Thecriticismwaswellfounded;on21December2009,theCommitteeonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRightsadoptedGeneralCommentNo.21ontherightofeveryonetotakepartinculturallife(Article15(1)(a)ICESCR).11

Importantly,theauthoremphasizesthatinmanycircumstancesothercommitteestreatculturalrightssuper-ficiallyand/orformally(at55).ShealsoreconstructsinasystematicwaytheworkoftheCommissiononHumanRights,theSub-CommissiononthePromotionandProtectionofHumanRights,andseveralSpecialRapporteurs.AccordingtoStamatopoulou,‘thesurveyoftheworkofhumanrightsbodiesshowsthatcross-fertilizationamongthemintheareaofculturalrightshasbeenmissing…Thesubjectistreatedunsystemat-ically,occasionallymotivatedbypoliticalinterestsofthemoment,andlosestheauthoritythatitshouldhaveintakingitsrightfulplaceonthehumanrightsagenda’(at70).TheauthornotesthattheGeneralAssembly'sroleonculturalrightshasremainedlimited,andunsurprisinglyso,asthesubjectshouldbeprimarilyelabor-atedandstudiedbyhumanrightsbodies(at72).ShealsostatesthatitwouldbedesirablefortheSecurityCounciltosystematizeandformalizeitsideasonexceptionstosanctionsconnectedwiththerighttoparti-cipateinculturallife(at73).

WithregardtotheUnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization(UNESCO),12Stama-topoulouemphasizesthatthisorganizationhascontributed,albeitofteninanimplicitmanner,totheunder-standingofculturalrightsashumanrightsinallitsstandard-settingefforts.However,shealsocriticizesUNESCOinseveralrespects.First,shepointsoutthat‘UNESCOapproacheshumanrightsandculturalrightsinparticularwithconsiderablepoliticalcaution…[and]hasmostlyfocusedoninter-staterelationsre-gardingculture,ratherthanontheculturalhumanrightsofpeople’(at79-80).Secondly,theauthorstressesthatUNESCOisproducingtoomanyinternationalinstrumentstoofast,withoutpreparingthemadequately.Ontheonehand,toomanyinstrumentsmaycreatealooselegalenvironment.Ontheotherhand,theauthorcontendsthatthepreparationofthelegalinstrumentsadoptedbyUNESCOdoesnotseemtomeetthestand-ardsrequiredforastandard-settingofuniversalcharacter.Theriskisthattheadoptedstandardsfallbelowexistinginternationalstandardsand‘thusweakenordilutetheexistinginternationalhumanrightsregime’(at81-82).Aparallelcritiquerelatestothelimitedparticipationofcivilsocietyinthedraftingprocess(at81).Thirdly,StamatopouloupointsoutthatcooperationbetweenUNESCOandotherUNorganshasnotbeensystematic(at82).

ChapterIIIexaminesthelimitationstoculturalrightsandexplorestheircontent.Theauthorcautionsthatnoteverycustomorfolkloreisaright.Tosupportthisclaim,shereferstoArticle29oftheUniversalDe-clarationonHumanRights,whichplacescertainlimitsontheexerciseoffreedomsandonthecompatibilityclauseoftenfoundinhumanrightstreatiesthatculturalpracticeswhichviolatehumanrightsarenotpartofthefreedomtoenjoyculturallife.Withregardtothecontent*1114ofculturalrights,shehighlightsthedif-ficultyofdrawingalinebetweentheessentialandthenon-essentialinordertoidentifyaculturalrightworthyofpromotion,protection,andfulfilmentonthepartofthestate(at113).Aslongasculturalpractices

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donotinfringeotherhumanrights,thestateisexpectedtorespect,protect,andfulfilthem.

Withregardtothecontentofculturalrights,theauthorclarifiesthatculturalrightsimposebothnegativeandpositiveobligationsonstates.Negativeobligationsrequirethestatenottointerferewiththeenjoymentofculture.Positiveobligationsincludeobligationstoprotectandfulfilculturalrights.Protectingculturalrightsmeansthatthestatemustpreventtheirviolationbythirdparties-betheyindividualsorcorporations.Ful-fillingtheserightsmeansthatthestatemusttakeappropriatelegislative,administrative,andjudicialmeas-urestowardsthefullrealizationofsuchrights.Becauseoftheircross-cuttingnature,culturalrightsalsode-pendontheimplementationofotherhumanrights.

Likeeconomicandsocialrights,culturalrightsaresubjecttoprogressiverealization.However,theyalsoin-volveobligationsofimmediateimplementation.AsStamatopoulouemphasizes,‘theconceptofminimumcoreobligationsisparticularlyusefulinthecaseofculturalrights,whichareoftenviewedasaluxurythatgovernmentsshouldpayattentiontoonlyafterfulfillingothermorebasicneedsofthepopulation’(at153).AccordingtoStamatopoulou,theso-calledminimumcoreobligationsofculturalrightsinclude:(i)non-discrimination;(ii)non-interferenceintheculturalfreedomsofindividualsandgroups;(iii)theprotectionofculturalrightsifthesearethreatenedbynon-stateactorsthroughthestate'sregulardischargeofpoliceandjusticefunctions;(iv)ensuringtheparticipationofsocietyinthedefinition,preparation,andimplementationofculturalpolicies;(v)promotingpoliciesofrespectforculturalrights;and(vi)takingstepstowardsthefullenjoymentandfulfilmentofculturalrights.AsStamatopouloupointsout,‘itisuptothestatetodemon-stratethateveryefforthasbeenmadetouseallresourcesthatareatitsdispositioninanefforttosatisfythoseminimumcoreobligations’(at157).Withregardtojusticiability,theauthormentionstheOptionalProtocoltotheInternationalCovenantonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights.13

ChapterIVdiscussesculturalrightsastheyapplytoindigenouspeoples,minorities,women,children,peoplewithdisabilities,migrantworkers,andrefugees,aswellasthepoor.14Whileculturalrightsareindi-vidualrightsastheybelongtoindividuals,‘atthesametimethegroupcontextisindispensableorafacilitat-ingfactorfortheexerciseofculturalrights’(at173).Inthisregard,theauthorscrutinizestheremarkablecaselawoftheHumanRightsCommittee(at181).

Thebookprovidesadetailedoverviewofthemeaningandcontentofculturalrightsincontemporaryinter-nationallaw.Whilethestructureofthebookissimpleandclear,amoreanalyticalapproachwouldhavebeenwelcome.Therearesomeminorrepetitions,andreferencetoexamples,caselaw,andstatepracticeisnotextensive.Notwithstandingthesecriticisms,themajormeritofthebookliesinitsequilibratedapproachtothestudyofculturalrights.Stamatopoulouemphasizesthat-farfrombeing‘luxuryrights’-culturalrightsarecloselyconnectedtohumandignity.Shesystematicallyreviewstheexistinglegalframeworkgov-erningculturalrightsattheinternationallawlevelandclarifiesthe*1115interplaybetweenculturalrightsandotherhumanrights.Onecannotbutagreeonsuchabalancedunderstandingandappreciatethesystemat-izationofthecomplexlegalandpolicyframework.Ithastobeseenwhetherandhowinternationalorganiz-ationsandstateswillrespondtothecurrentchallengesposedbyglobalization.Whilefurtherstudiesareneededtoinvestigatetheinterplaybetweenmarketsandculture,mediaandculturaldiversity,intellectualpropertyandculturalexpressions,foreigndirectinvestmentandculture,tonamebutafew,Stamatopoulouprovidesageneralreflectionandanexcellentstartingpointforanyscholarinterestedinculturalrightsandinternationallaw,ValentinaSaraVadiLecturerinInternationalLawMaastrichtUniversity

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1.GARes56/6,9Nov.2001,GlobalAgendaforDialogueamongCivilizations,A/RES/56/6.

2.See,forinstance,UniversalDeclarationofHumanRights,Art.22;GARes217A,UNGAOR,3rdSess.,Pt.I,Resolutions,UNDocA/810(1948).

3.SeeSymonides,‘CulturalRights:ANeglectedCategoryofHumanRights’,158Int'lSocialScienceJ(1998)595.Inthepastdecade,however,culturalrightshavereceivedincreasedattention:see,forinstance,W.Barth,OnCulturalRights:TheEqualityofNationsandtheMinorityLegalTradition(2008);F.Fran-cioniandM.Scheinin(eds),CulturalHumanRights(2008).

4.Preamble,UNESCOConventionontheProtectionandPromotionoftheDiversityofCulturalExpres-sions,adoptedon20Oct.2005,andenteredintoforceon17Mar.2007.

5.S.P.Huntington,TheClashofCivilizationsandtheRemakingoftheWorldOrder(1996).

6.Donderslistsandcriticizestheseapproaches:seeDonders,‘ARighttoCulturalIdentityinUNESCO’,inF.FrancioniandM.Scheinin(eds),CulturalHumanRights(2008),at317,318.

7.Paul,‘CulturalResistancetoGlobalGovernance’,22MichiganJInt'lL(2000-2001)51

8.ConventionfortheEliminationofAllFormsofRacialDiscrimination,660UNTS195,Art.7;Conven-tionontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationAgainstWomen,1249UNTS13,Art.5;ConventionontheRightsoftheChild,UNGARes44/25of20Nov.19,Art.24,DeclarationontheRightsofPersonsBelongingtoNationalorEthnic,ReligiousandLinguisticMinorities,UNGARes47/135of18Dec.1992,Art.4;UNESCOConventionfortheSafeguardingofIntangibleCulturalHeritage,Art.2.ThisConventionenteredintoforceon20Apr.2006.Forthetextseeht-tp://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=12025&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=-471.html.9.UNESCOUniversalDeclarationonCulturalDiversity,Art.4.TheDeclarationwasadoptedon2Nov.2001.Forthetextseewww2.ohchr.org/english/law/diversity.htm.

10.InternationalCovenantonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights,15Dec.1966,993UNTS3.GeneralComment17onArt.15(1)(c)oftheCovenant,regardingtherightofeveryonetobenefitformtheprotectionofthemoralandmaterialinterestsresultingfromanyscientific,literaryorartisticproductionofwhichheorsheistheauthorwasissuedinNov.2005.

11.GeneralComment21ontherightofeveryonetotakepartinculturallife(Art.15(1)(a)ICESCR),avail-ableat:www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/docs/gc/E-C-12-GC-21.doc.

12.TheConstitutionofUNESCOwassignedon16Nov.1945andcameintoforceon4Nov.1946:4UNTS275(1945).

13.On10Dec.2008,theUNGAunanimouslyadoptedtheOptionalProtocoltotheICESCRduringitsmeetingcommemoratingthe60thanniversaryoftheUDHR.TheProtocolenteredintoforceafterthepub-licationofStamatopoulou'sbook.AccordingtotheOptionalProtocol,individualswillbeallowedtosubmitcommunicationstotheCommitteeafterexhaustionoflocalremedies.

14.Withregardtowomen'srights,Stamatopoulouhighlightsthatinternationalhumanrightslawhasproventobeapowerfulemancipatingdiscourse.BoththeCommitteeonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRightsandtheHumanRightsCommitteehavecriticizedculturalpracticeswhichviolatehumanrights,especiallywo-men'shumanrights(Stamatopoulou,at25-26).ENDOFDOCUMENT

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