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Report on the intentional destruction of cultural heritage as a violation of human rights

Summary

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights sets out a human rights approach, which she has developed, to the intentional destruction of cultural heritage, in conflict and non-conflict situations, by States and non-State actors. She examines the impact of such destruction on a range of human rights, including the right to take part in cultural life; calls for effective national and international strategies for preventing, and holding accountable those alleged to have taken part in, such destruction; and also calls for support for and protection of defenders of cultural heritage.

Methodology

To prepare this report (A/71/317), the Special Rapporteur invited all relevant stakeholders to send their views on the intentional destruction of cultural heritage and share their experiences of the impact it has on human rights, especially cultural rights.

Contributions were particularly requested on the following issues:

• What is the impact of the intentional destruction of cultural heritage on the enjoyment of human rights, and particularly, on cultural rights? What is the impact of destruction of tangible cultural heritage on intangible cultural heritage, on cultural practices and beliefs, and on the right of concerned persons to participate in cultural life?
• What are examples of different situations illustrating the above (situations of armed / non armed conflict or international / internal conflict; destructions by States / Non-States actors; geographical or other diversity, etc.)?
• What are examples of good practices, especially with regard to prevention and protection against destruction, as well as repatriation and reconstruction measures of cultural heritage, including through human and cultural rights education and awareness?
• What strategies are in place to protect cultural heritage defenders at risk? Under which circumstances can they be considered as cultural rights defenders?

Learn more about the rights related to cultural heritage by visiting the page dedicated to this issue.

Inputs received

Responses from States

1. Armenia 1 | 2
2. Azerbaijan
3. Belgique
4. Dominican Republic 1 | 2
5. Georgia
6. Greece
7. Guatemala
8. Italy
9. Mauritius 1 | 2
10. Philippines
11. República del Salvador
12. El Salvador - Instituto Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural
13. Russian Federation (translation)
14. Serbia
15. United States of America
16. Venezuela

Responses from NHRIs

1. Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos de México
2. Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance Tanzania
3. Commission nationale des Droits de la Personne du Rwanda 1 | 2
4. Defensoría del Pueblo de Colombia
5. Defensoría del Pueblo de Panamá
6. Iranian Human rights commission 1 | 2
7. National Human Rights Commission of India
8. National Human Rights Institute of Paraguay

Responses from other stakeholders

1. Adam Blitz
2. American Association for the Advacement of Science (AAAS)
3. Americans for Democracy and & Human rights in Bahrain
4. Ana Filipa Vrdoljak 1 | 2 | 3
5. Antoon de Baets
6. Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
7. At-sik-hata
8. Christiane Johannot-Gradis
9. Christoph Doppelhofer
10. Cultural survival
11. Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality
12. Emek Shaveh
13. Emma Loosley
14. Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East & North Africa
15. Fanny –Iona Morel - Observatory of diversity and cultural rights, Uni.Fribourg
16. Geneva Call
17. Human Rights Advocates 1 | 2
18. Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation
19. Lea Chauveau
20. Luigia Bersani (Italian)
21. Marina Lostal and Emma Cunliffe
22. Maya Leaders Alliance in Belize
23. Minority Rights Group International
24. Missouri’s Little Dixie Heritage Foundation 1 | 2
25. Organization of Islamic Conference
26. Patrice Meyer-Bisch –Observatoire de la diversité et des droits culturels
27. Ram Puniyani
28. Raman Maroz
29. RASHID- Research, Assessment and Safeguarding of the Heritage of Iraq in Danger
30. Republika Srpska
31. Samuel Andrew Hardy
32. Sawa Organisation for Human Rights
33. Tamaynut NGO
34. UNAMA-OHCHR Afghanistan
35. UNESCO Chair on Cultural Landscapes and Heritage
36. Youba Bathily
37. Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica 1 | 2