UNESCO Culture for Development Indicator Suite

presented by

Patricia AlberthUNESCO World Heritage Centre

Supported by

Joint Nordic Conference, 24-25 November 2011

The Future of Development Research: Exploring the Nordic Perspective(s)?

What is the Culture for Development Indicator Suite?

• Research and advocacy initiative to establish a set of macro indicators assessing the culture for development DNA of a country;

• Added value: first tool that raises awareness of how culture supports the achievement of development goals, including the MDGs;

• Generates new knowledge on culture and development through an original methodology that allows a cross-analysis of key policy dimensions;

• Country-led approach is building awareness and capacity at national level on culture and development links.

Objectives

1. Highlight culture’s contributions to national development

Demonstrate how culture: - contributes to economic growth, social cohesion and

resilience- enlarges people’s choices and- helps individuals and communities to adapt to change

2. Promote an inclusive vision of sustainable development

3. Contribute to the implementation of Article 13 of the Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Integration of Culture in Sustainable Development)

… by offering to development actors a flexible tool adjusted to their needs to reposition culture into national strategies and plans.

Responding to international contexts and national needs

• Difficulties in quantifying culture’s contribution is leading to its marginalisation in development strategies (1.7% of ODA): culture often left out from UNDAFs

• The importance of culture for development and to the MDGs recognized by the international community through 2 UN General Assembly resolutions (65/1 and 65/166, 2010) and the UN SG Report

• Growing donor recognition of role of culture for development (AECID, EU-ACP doubling of funds to culture and development …)

• New key elements available: operational projects (MDG-F); new data on culture showing value-added for development; growing momentum around statistics on culture (e.g. UIS cultural employment survey)

Added-value of the Indicator Suite

Complex policy area

• Policy area where data is often incomplete, many gaps

• Culture and development is difficult to measure quantitatively

• Earlier attempts to measure culture through composite indices faced methodological and conceptual challenges

Innovative model

• Brings together data from different key policy areas, which when brought together, generates an evidence-based snapshot of the “C&D DNA”

• A flexible tool, capable of adapting to different contexts

• Cross-analysis across 7 key dimensions of culture & development

• Based on national data sources• Does not rank countries• Some elements of comparability

Indicator Suite in the Field: from theory to practice

Timeline

• Inspired by the World Report, Our Creative Diversity (1996)

• Proposed indicators based on research and consultations with experts (2009)

• Creation of Methodology Manual• First test phase in six countries:

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ghana, Viet Nam and Uruguay (2011)

• Expert meeting (Oct. 2011)

Participatory Process

• Led by local consultant with a background in statistics, culture and development.

• Two national workshops per country, aimed to build consensus around project, raise awareness and interpret the final results

• Partnerships with key national institutions (statistical institutes, ministries, research institutes etc.) and development community

Culture & Development

The Suite focuses on the salient features of both concepts in order to adopt operational definitions and take action:

”Culture”: • a sector of economic activity• a critical factor for fostering social cohesion, resilience and peace• A key component adding value to and increasing the impact of

development interventions (transversal)

“Development” encompasses the human, social and economic development, focusing on capacities of individuals and communities to expand their choices, foster a sense of well-being and face processes of change.

Seven Dimensions

The Dimensions and Sub-Dimensions of the Indicator Suite

Dimensions Sub-dimensionsEconomy 1. Added value of cultural activities: contribution of cultural activities to GDP

2. Employment in culture3. Expenditures on culture

Education 1.Investment in human capital2. Promotion of cultural diversity appreciation and valorisation3. Investment in highly trained cultural professionals

Heritage 1. Protection of cultural heritage2. Valorisation of cultural heritage

Communication 1. Freedom of expression2. Enabling environment for communication3. Cultural diversity of media

Governance 1. Enshrinement of cultural rights and promotion of culture at the normative level.2. Institutional capacities3. Cultural infrastructure4. Participation of civil society in cultural policy elaboration and implementation

Participation and Social Cohesion

1. Participation in cultural activities2. Distrust or dislike of other cultures/ Interpersonal trust3. Freedom of self-determination

Gender Equality 1. Equal capacities to participate in culture2. Equal opportunity to access public institutions

Collecting data for each of the seven dimensions of the Suite

The indicators of the Suite

• The Suite proposes core indicators for each sub-dimension. Upon national request, options for comparability potential of some core indicators is being explored (e.g. employment, cultural activities)

• In contexts where data is unattainable, alternative indicators, proposed by national consultants encouraged

• In contexts with relevant related data, additional indicators encouraged

Dimen-sion

Sub-Dimension Indicator Source Year of Reference

Result Relevant additional/

disaggregated data

Participation and

Social Cohesion

Participation in Cultural Activities

Core: Percentage of the population participating at least once in a cultural activity in the last 12 months.        

Core: Percentage of the population participating in at least one event organized by cultural associations or groups once a year.

       

Core: Percentage of the population who is a member of a cultural organization

       

Alternative:        

Additional:        

Distrust or Dislike of Other Cultures/ Interpersonal Trust*

Core: Degree of trust within a society regarding people with different cultural background/origin        

Core: Degree of interpersonal trust within a given society

       

Alternative:        

Additional:        

Freedom of Self-Determination

Core: Percentage of people with high levels of perceived freedom of self-determination

       

Alternative:        

Additional:        

Sample data collection table:Social Participation and Cohesion

After the collection of data ….

Cross-dimensional Analysis

Creativity, Living together, Cultural cycle, Cultural rights

Living together and social cohesion: Culture as a sustainable framework for social cohesion and peace, indispensable for

human development

Criteria Dimension Sub-Dimension Indicator Result

Space for participation

in cultural processes

Social

Participation in Cultural Activities Core: Percentage of the population participating at least once in a cultural activity in the last 12 months.

 

Trust in regards to

cultural processes

Social

Distrust or Dislike of Other Cultures/ Interpersonal Trust

Core: Degree of trust within a society regarding people with different cultural background/origin  

Core: Degree of interpersonal trust within a given society  

Freedom of Self-Determination Core: Percentage of people with high levels of perceived freedom of self-determination  

Education

Promotion of Cultural Diversity Appreciation or Valorisation

Core: Type of language taught in school as % of toal yearly instructional hours devoted to languages  

Core: Evolution of median yearly instructional hours dedicated to arts education from grades 1-6 (primary school) to grades 7-8 (secondary school)  

Core: Degree of restriction of the instruction of a language by a minority group (restrictions on use of language or language instruction of minority groups)  

Social and cultural

condition of minorities

and women

Gender

Equal Capacities to Participate in Culture

Core:Female literacy rates 

Equal Opportunity to Access Public Institutions, Resources and Services

Core: Equal opportunity to access social institutions and to enjoy legal capacity  

Core: Gender equality in ownership, economic and legal rights  

GovernanceParticipation of Civil Society in Cultural Policy Elaboration and Implementation*

Core: Existence of specific schemes or organs for the participation of minorities in decision-making regarding culture

 

Communi-cation

Freedom of expression Core: Degree of freedom of the press as guaranteed by law and respected in practice

 

Heritage Protection of Cultural Heritage Core: registered intangible cultural heritage resources 

Space for participation

in cultural policy

decision-making

Governance

Enshrinement of cultural rights and promotion of culture at the normative level

Core: Adoption of international and regional treaties and conventions, recommendations and declarations, and national normative measures in the areas of culture and developent, cultural rights, and cultural diversity  

Participation of Civil Society in Cultural Policy Elaboration and Implementation*

Core: Existence of specific schemes or organs for the participation of professional associations in decision-making regarding culture

 

Institutional Capacities Core: Public institutional capacities for the formulation and and implementation of cultural policy and degree of decentralization  

Sample of table for Cross-dimensional Analysis

Selected outcomes to date

1. Building national ownership• Test phase targeted local stakeholders whose input ensures that the Suite corresponds to

their policy and operational needs, strengthening its impact as a development tool.• Workshops were a fora for interministerial dialogue, contributing to build capacities and creating

new interest in investing in statistical systems, with a focus on culture

2. Enhancing national statistical and information systems• Information-sharing and dialogue across ministries and institutes at the national level, enhancing

awareness of available data sources• The Suite builds on and strengthens national statistics by approaching and employing existing

data through a culture and development lens

3. Generating new valuable data and knowledge• Original methodology (e.g. economy) and transversal questions produced new data and

understandings on the role of culture in national development.• Comprehensive overview and cross-analysis of existing data identified new policy opportunities

and challenges.

Next Steps

Key milestones

• Revision of Methodological Manual before 2nd Test Phase

• 2nd Test Phase: Namibia, Ecuador, Camboda, Burkina Faso, Peru & TBD (Nov. ’11- May ‘12)

• Harmonization of data and indicators

• Graphic Software to visualize data

• 3rd Phase: Implementation Programme (2012)

Expected Results

• Use of the UNESCO Suite in national, regional and international development strategies: PRSPS, Country Assessment Strategies, NIPs, etc.

• Greater inclusion of culture in national development strategies and increased investment in culture as an economic sector and important area of international development cooperation

Culture & Development DNA:sample visualization

For more information

Please contact:

Guiomar Alonso Cano: g.alonso@unesco.orgMelika Medici: m.medici-caucino@unesco.org

Keiko Nowacka: k.nowacka@unesco.org

Visit: www.unesco.org/culture/CDIS