Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights

Culture is and always has been central to development. As a natural and fundamental dimension of peoples lives, culture must be integrated into development policy and programs. The State of World Population 2008 report from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, shows how this process works in practice.

The starting point of the new report is the universal validity of the international human rights framework. The focus is therefore on discussing and showcasing how critical culturally sensitive approaches are for the realization of human rights in general, and womenís rights in particular.

Human rights are everybodyís work, and being culturally sensitive and understanding the context is everybodyís business, said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA. 

Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights, launched 12 November 2008, calls for the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without any distinction between race, sex, language or religion. It also coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The report, published a few days ahead of the International Day for Tolerance, 16 November, gives an overview of the conceptual frameworks as well as the practice of development, looking at the everyday events that make up peoples experiences with development. 

Culturally sensitive approaches call for cultural fluency and familiarity with how cultures work, and how to work with them. The report presents some of the challenges and dilemmas of culturally sensitive strategies and suggests how partnerships can address them. 

Communities have to look at their cultural values and practices and determine whether they impede or promote the realization of human rights. Then, they can build on the positive and change the negative, said Ms. Obaid. 

The report cautions that cultural sensitivity and engagement does not mean acceptance of harmful traditional practices, or a free pass for human rights abuses ñ far from it. Values and practices that infringe on human rights can be found in all cultures. Understanding cultural realities can reveal the most effective ways to challenge these harmful cultural practices and strengthen beneficial ones.

There are people within every culture who oppose harmful cultural practices. Our experience shows that we can work closely with them for cultural change to protect human rights, said Ms. Obaid. 

The report concludes that analyzing peopleís choices in their local conditions and cultural contexts is a precondition for better development policies. 

Cultures change, for better or worse, in good times and bad. The report is about promoting human rights in all circumstances, said Ms. Obaid. ìCulture is not a wall to tear down. It is a window to see through, a door to open to make greater progress for human rights. 

Once again, UNFPA is publishing a youth supplement to The State of World Population 2008. Generation of Change: Young People and Culture features the stories of young women and men, their experiences and achievements in different cultures. 

Related Content

•   Children prosecute Yemen crisis in a film screened on al-Aqeeq TV
•   Confrontations break out between Sothern militants and Yemen forces, two killed
•  Innovative technology enables grass-roots election monitoring in Yemen
•   Yemen VP launches early presidential election campaign officially
•   Yemen VP, US diplomat review political settlement progress
•   Tens killed in confrontations between Houthis and Salafies in North Yemen
•   Yemen PM receives Cuban diplomat
•   UN supports Yemen presidential elections
•  Yemen VP receives British official, promises reconciliation
•   Yemen Vice President meets political parties’ leaders