CDIS | Colombia's indicators

1 CONTRIBUTION OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES TO GDP: 3.41% (2008)

 

In 2008, cultural activities contributed to 3.41% of the Colombian Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which indicates that culture is responsible for a significant part of national production, and that it helps generate income and sustain the livelihoods of its citizens. 49% of this contribution is the result of central cultural activities, and 51% of equipment/supporting cultural activities. Culture’s overall contribution to the national economy is non-negligeable when compared to that of important industries such as land transportation (3.21%) and construction (3.20%).

 

While already indicating a vibrant sector, culture’s contribution to GDP is underestimated by this indicator as it only takes into consideration private and formal cultural activities. Cultural activities that take place in the informal economy and non-market establishments, as well as the indirect and induced impacts of the culture sector are not incorporated in the calculations but may be significant. 

 

Nevertheless, this indicator offers valuable new information on the profits generated by cultural activities at the national level. Furthermore, the recently created Satellite Account for Culture offers accurate data to analyze the evolution of culture’s contribution to the GDP between the years 2005 and 2008. The central cultural activities that contributed the most to national GDP are television, radio and advertising, accounting for 20.25% of culture’s entire contribution to GDP in 2008. Theatrical and musical performances and other artistic activities had a growth of 68.75% during the period from 2005-2008.  Similarly, while art, design and publishing services accounted for only 0.87% of culture’s total contribution to GDP in 2008, the profits of this sub-sector grew by over 241% during the same period. The largest contributors in the category of equipment/supporting activities include telecommunication activities and printing, accounting for 40.2% and 7.29% of culture’s total contribution in 2008, respectively, and having profits that grew by 67.85% and 54.98% since 2005.

 

Such growth across the many culture sub-sectors illustrates the emergence of dynamic enterprises and underlines the need for more policies like the recent 2011 Entertainment Act to further stimulate the on-going growth of the cultural and creative industries. Such policies can have a substantial impact, as demonstrated by a cross-analysis with the CDIS indicators of the Communication and Governance dimensions, which highlight recent policies to promote the production and distribution of national films and fiction through national support mechanisms, incentives and regulations. Illustrating the potential impact of strengthened public support, the profits of the production and distribution of films grew by 91.61% between 2005 and 2008 and generated an added value of 131 million Colombian pesos in 2008.

3 HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ON CULTURE: 2.75% (2007)

 

In Colombia, 2.75% of household consumption expenditures were devoted to cultural activities, goods and services in the year 2007. 65% of household cultural consumption expenditures was spent on central cultural goods and services, and 35% on equipment/supporting goods and services. The purchase of technical books and school supplies (29.4%), cable TV services (26.6%), entry fees to cinemas (4.5%) and live shows (3.5%) were responsible for the largest shares of central cultural goods and services. In the category of support and equipment, significant shares were spent on computers (17.3%), conventional televisions (17.1%) and Internet subscriptions fees (16.5%).

 

Though already indicative of a real demand for cultural goods, this final result of 2.9% is a sub-estimation of the total actual consumption of households. It does not account for the value of cultural goods and services acquired by households and provided by non-profit institutions at prices that are not economically significant (e.g. in-kind transfers). Similarly, spending on cultural products that are not directly financed by households, such as design services and advertisements, are not taken into consideration. 

 

Nevertheless, this indicator offers valuable new information on cultural consumption practices and a further look at consumption according to income quintiles reveals that the consumption of cultural goods and services varies greatly with the level of household income. More than half of total annual cultural expenditures (54%) were carried out by households in the highest quintile, while only 5% were carried out by the lowest quintile. Furthermore, a significant difference between consumption in urban (1.14%) and rural (0.30%) households can be noted. In addition, less than half of all households surveyed actually consumed cultural goods and services, highlighting access inequities. When only considering households that have consumed cultural goods, 2.6% of average monthly expenditures are spent on central cultural goods and services alone; while in the category of equipment/supporting goods and services, these households spent 3.7% of all expenditures on televisions and cameras and 4.7% on new technologies such as Internet subscription services. Such inequities and the dominance of equipment/supporting expenditures merit consideration when formulating and implementing policies and measures to promote more inclusive access to cultural life.

4 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: 0.94/1 (2011)

 

The result of 0.94/1 reflects the success of national authorities in guaranteeing the fundamental cultural right to an education in a complete, fair and inclusive manner. This result shows that on average, the target population aged 17-22 has 9.8 years of schooling, which is only slightly below the targeted average of 10 years. This result shows that public authorities’ efforts have been overwhelmingly successful in assuring that citizens enjoy the cultural right to an education, and participate in the construction and transmission of values, attitudes and cultural skills throughout school, as well as benefit from the personal and social empowerment of learning. However, in spite of this achievement, 4% of the Colombian population aged 17 to 22 years lives in education deprivation, having less than 4 years of schooling to acquire the basics skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. 

 

According to the National Statistics Institute (DANE), the illiteracy rate of the population aged 15 and over represented 5.8% of the total population in 2011, a rate that is higher in rural environments.  Indeed, ongoing barriers to education are present mainly in the rural areas of Colombia, where many teachers have difficulties accessing isolated locations and many children must leave school to work with their families. Another major challenge is to reach areas where illegal armed groups are present and children risk being victims of forced recruitment, excluding them from education and other personal development projects. To further enhance equality and education, targeted policies may still be necessary to address these issues and ensure an education for all Colombians.

 

The General Law of Education (1994) states that the teaching of foreign languages is mandatory in Colombia. The promotion of linguistic diversity and the learning of a second language is seen as essential to increase employment opportunities and career development but also to facilitate access to a wider range of information, knowledge, cultural expressions and to promote multiculturalism. However, the educational system in Colombia is autonomous and the Institutional Educational Projects (PEI) are very diverse in schools, influencing the actual teaching of foreign languages. In many cases students resolve to use extracurricular hours to progress in the learning of a second language. 

 

However, international linguistic diversity and foreign languages are not the only ones to be valued. In a country like Colombia, actions are also necessary to promote domestic linguistic diversity and ensure the preservation and teaching of native languages among communities, guaranteeing the sustainability of national intangible cultural heritage. Yet, in 2012, only 1.7% of public and private basic secondary schools offered ethno-education programmes. However, the majority of these programmes were carried out in public schools (96%). Similarly, while there are 7,530 ethno-education teachers in public schools, only 127 such teachers work in private schools. These figures indicate the valorization of authorities of this type of teaching. The remaining challenges are to increase these courses in urban areas where ethnic groups have settled, as well as to increase the opportunities for all students nation-wide to learn local and regional languages in order to further foster an appreciation for cultural diversity. Most (80%) ethno-education programmes are offered in rural areas.

Arts education is a mandatory component of infant, primary and secondary school curriculums according to the 1994 General Education Law (Article 23). Arts education nurtures creativity and innovation, empowers creative and artistic talents and provides a basis for the enjoyment of cultural expressions and cultural diversity, forming an educated audience and broadening horizons for personal development and cultural participation.  

 

In 2012, 6.2% of all basic secondary school teachers were arts teachers, of which 53.0% were women and 47.0% men. However, the weight given to arts education as illustrated by the percentage of teachers varies according to the type of school and geographic location. There is a higher percentage of arts teachers in private schools (7.7%) than in public schools (5.7%), and a greater presence in urban areas (6.7%) compared to rural areas (4.9%).

7 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN THE CULTURE SECTOR: 1/1 (2012) 

 

Colombia’s result of 1/1 indicates that the national authorities have manifested a clear interest and willingness to invest in the training of cultural professionals. The coverage of the national public and government-dependent private technical and tertiary education is comprehensive and complete. The result of 1/1 indicates that at the national level at least one course is offered in all technical and tertiary fields considered by the indicator. Dominant areas of study are music, heritage, and visual arts.

 

Nevertheless, while this indicator reflects complete coverage, improvement remains regarding increasing diversification of courses, and distribution of access to these opportunities nation-wide.  While there are many Masters and Doctorate programs on the topics of museums, history, architecture and music, there are still insufficient courses for drama, dance, and film. Many students opt to leave Colombia to achieve such specialized diplomas. In addition, very few cultural management undergraduate and graduate programs exist, though it is an essential field of study for the development of a sustainable national cultural economy and dynamic cultural enterprises. Regarding the location of these courses, while there are TVET and university programs throughout the country, most opportunities are available in one of seven major cities (Bogota, Cali, Medellin, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta and Bucaramanga). For example, most cultural management programs are offered in large cities. Though the demand for cultural training is higher in major cities, there continues to be a deficit of both technical and tertiary programmes outside of these areas.

 

Finally, recent initiatives like Colombia Creativa aim to resolve some outstanding obstacles for professional development of artists by allowing the validation of university credits for recognized artists without university studies to achieve a degree through the recognition of their knowledge and experience. This proposal is expected to ensure a greater number of graduate artists since the lack of degrees is often a barrier for many to access further training, answer calls for grants and the development of productive activities.   Additionally, a university degree is often required for artists’ skills and experience to be recognized in order to establish a service contract with the State.

8 STANDARD-SETTING FRAMEWORK FOR CULTURE: 0.96/1 (2013)

 

Colombia’s result of 0.96/1 indicates that there is already a significant standard-setting framework for culture in place and that the national authorities have made many efforts to ratify key international legal instruments affecting cultural development, cultural rights and cultural diversity, as well as to establish a national framework to recognize and implement these obligations.

 

Colombia scored 0.96/1 at the international level, highlighting the degree of priority given to culture and the country’s high level of commitment to international norms on cultural development, cultural rights and cultural diversity. Colombia has ratified many recommended international conventions, declarations and recommendations, such as the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. However, Colombia has yet to ratify select international instruments such as the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, concluding that the latter goes against the country’s national interests.

 

At the national level, a score of 0.96/1 indicates that a great deal of effort has been made to implement many of the international obligations that Colombia has committed to, a vital step for the active implementation of these obligations. Principles relating to cultural rights and freedoms are established in the 1991 Constitution of Colombia, which is the main tool to ensure the preservation of cultural diversity and the basis for the development of cultural legislation. In addition, Colombia has a framework law for culture and a comprehensive legislative framework for the promotion of heritage, publishing, cinema, copyright, live cultural performances, television and radio. However, one omission to be noted in Colombia’s national-level standard-setting framework is the absence of laws, regulations or decrees promoting cultural patronage and sponsorship, which would help facilitate the private sector’s support of culture.  The proposed alternative in Colombia is the creation of mixed funds for culture, as outlined in the General Law on Culture (1997) including public and private actors. One successful example of these mechanisms is the Proimágenes en Movimiento Fund, which has played a major role in the development of the film industry in recent years.

9 POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR CULTURE: 0.95/1 (2013)

 

The final result of 0.95/1 reflects that Colombian authorities have taken great efforts to create a comprehensive policy and institutional framework to promote the culture sector as part of development, by establishing targeted policies and mechanisms and by having an adequate political and administrative system to implement the legal instruments seen above.  Colombia’s results are above the average result of test phase countries of the CDIS, which is 0.79/1.

 

Colombia scored 1/1 for the Policy Framework sub-indicator, indicating that a comprehensive body of well-defined culture and sectoral policies and strategies have been put in place to promote culture in the country. The Ministry of Culture’s 2010 Compendium of Cultural Policies collects the vast range of cultural policies present in Colombia, covering topics such as cultural diversity, ethnolinguistic diversity, arts education, indigenous and immigrants’ diversity and rights, and policies relevant to specific culture sub-sectors (heritage, museums, archives, literature, cinema, music, television, radio, visual arts, dance, theatre etc.). The aim of the Compendium is to summarize the historical evolution of policies and to present current challenges, making it a tool for public debate and the critical renewal of cultural policies. Programs like the National Incentives Program and the National Coordination Program have also been developed to further promote the arts and culture throughout the country.  In addition to extensive policies and strategies, culture has been explicitly integrated in the municipal development plans of 516 municipalities, the strengthening of the cultural industries is an objective in the National Development Plan (2010-2014), and documents of the National Council for Social and Economic Policy include specific targets for the promotion of culture.

 

Colombia scored 0.92/1 for the Institutional Framework sub-indicator, which assesses the operationalization of institutional mechanisms and the degree of cultural decentralization. Many positive factors account for such a result. Growing from the 1994-1995 National Plan for Culture and the 1991 Constitution, the Ministry of Culture of Colombia was created in 1997. The 1997 General Law of Culture was drafted with the participation of approximately 25,000 citizens, establishing the regulatory framework for the Ministry.

 

This new institutional framework implied culture’s presence in the decisions of the State, with its own Ministry and place within the Council of Ministers. The new plan also called for the decentralization of responsibilities, creating municipal, district and departmental institutions for the carrying-out of cultural policies and activities, and calling for civil society’s participation in decision processes. All 32 Departments have institutions responsible for culture, as do over half of all municipalities. However, while many decentralized institutions with specific budgets exist to assure effective cultural governance, one significant omission in Colombia’s framework is a of lack training programmes for officials and/or workers in the public administration of culture. No such trainings have been conducted in the last year.

 

Colombia’s final result is 0.48/1, 1 representing the situation in which selected infrastructure are equally distributed amongst Departments according to the relative size of the population. The score of 0.48/1 thus reflects that across the 32 Departments of Colombia, there is an unequal distribution of cultural facilities.

 

When looking at the figures for the three different categories of infrastructures, Colombia scores 0.39/1 for Museums, 0.46/1 for Exhibition Venues Dedicated to the Performing Arts and 0.58/1 for Libraries and Media Resource Centers. This suggests that the most equal distribution of access exists for Libraries and Media Resource Centers, and that the most unequal distribution for Museums. While all Departments have access to at least one Library, not all Departments have access to Museums or Exhibition Venues and the concentration of facilities relative to population size varies greatly. For example, while the little populated Departments of Vaupés and Guainía have access to Libraries (4 and 2, respectively), they have no other cultural facilities. On the contrary, the Department of Bogotá is home to 16% of the population and has a total of 57 Museums (13%), 117 Exhibition Venues (28%), but the Department is underequipped in public Library facilities relative to the population, having only 2% of all such facilities nation-wide (22 Libraries). Generally speaking, the majority of all facilities are located in the capital and neighbouring Departments, as well as populated areas that draw significant tourism. Indeed more than half of all Museums and Exhibition Venues (52% and 56%, respectively) in the country are found in just 4 Departments – Antioquia, Bogotá, Boyacá and Valle del Cauca-  that collectively account for 42% of the population. However, these same 4 Departments only account for 28% of all public Libraries. Thus, although infrastructure networks are in place, led by institutions like the National Library and the National Museum, and laws and policies exist to promote cultural spaces, there are still obstacles to the equitable distribution of cultural facilities. This is a crucial and common challenge to all countries having implemented the CDIS as the average for this indicator is 0.43/1

11 CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL GOVERNANCE: 0.95/1 (2013)

 

The final result of 0.95/1 indicates that many opportunities exist for dialogue and representation of both cultural professionals and minorities in regards to the formulation and implementation of cultural policies, measures and programmes that concern them. Such opportunities for participation in cultural governance exist at the national as well as regional and local levels.

 

The General Law of Culture 397 (1997) not only established the Ministry of Culture, but also the National Cultural System, which articulates the different public and private actors involved in the management and development of culture in Colombia, including municipal, district, departmental and national Councils for the Arts and Culture. The Ministry describes the System as a "set of closely linked instances, opportunities for participation and processes of institutional development, planning, financing, training, and information that enable cultural development and community access to cultural goods and services" in accordance with the principles of decentralization, diversity, participation and autonomy. Within this system at the national level, the National Culture Council acts as an advisory body to the Ministry regarding policy development and the monitoring of its implementation. In addition there are 11 active National Councils that address the specific areas of cinema, literature, heritage, native languages, visual arts, dance, music, theater and media. At sub-State levels there are 32 Departmental Culture Councils, of which 23 (72%) are active, having organized meetings over the past 24 months. 944 of all 1,102 municipalities (85.7%) have Municipal Culture Councils, of which 283 are currently active (30%). Culture Councils at all levels of the government present opportunities for delegates of cultural organizations, managers, artists and other actors of civil society to dialogue and discuss the political and normative developments for culture.

 

12 PARTICIPATION IN GOING-OUT CULTURAL ACTIVITIES: 65.9% (2010)

 

In Colombia, 65.9% of the population 12 years or older participated at least once in a going-out cultural activity in 2010. Going-out cultural activities include visits to cultural venues, such as cinemas, theatres, concerts, music festivals, galleries, museums, libraries, historical and archaeological monuments. Such activities require people actively choosing to attend a particular cultural activity, thus providing insight into the degree of cultural vitality and appreciation of culture. They also imply physical places for encounters to occur between audiences and artists, as well as among audiences, and thus insight into the degree of social interaction and connectivity. A result of 65.9% suggests a relatively high degree of participation in going-out activities overall and a steady base for a domestic cultural audience; the average for countries participating in the CDIS is situated at 46.1%.

 

While there is little divergence in the percentage of men (66.2%) and women (65.6%) that participated in going-out cultural activities, more significant variations according to age, income quintiles, geographical location and levels of education can be noted. While a large majority (78.9%) of individuals 12-25 years of age took part in going-out cultural activities, this percentage progressively decreases with age and only 33.3% of individuals 65 and above took part in such activities. Significant variations can also be noted according to income quintile. The highest participation rate was observed for the wealthiest quintile (89.2%) while the second poorest quintile observed the lowest rate (57.5%). The first income quintile had a slightly higher percentage (62.3%). One remarkable gap in participation between the first and fifth quintiles concerned cinema attendance (43.6 percentage points), an activity that is rarely free. To the contrary, a much smaller gap (10.1 percentage points) between the first and fifth income quintiles can be noted for attendance at concerts, recitals and music performances in open and closed spaces, activities that are more likely to be enjoyed without paying. 45.8% of the fifth quintile partook in concerts and music performances compared to 33.2% of the first quintile and 29.7% of the second quintile. A divide can also be confirmed when looking at participation according to geographic region, varying from 61.9% for the Central region to 73.6% of the population of Amazonía/Orinoquia. Finally, significant variations also correspond to levels of education. While 90.5% of the population with a university education took part in a going-out cultural activity in the past 12 months, only 47.9% of those with only an elementary school education did the same.

 

The above results merit cross-analysis with the indicators of the Economy, Education and Governance dimensions, which help to further assess issues of access to cultural participation regarding socio-economic factors such as income quintiles, education, urbanization and geographic location. Combined, these indicators suggest that increasing equitable access to infrastructures may have a positive impact on cultural participation, as well as the development of targeted policies and mechanisms to resolve the gaps in access between particular groups of the population. Such efforts could help to boost social connectivity and the consumption of cultural goods and services across all socio-economic groups.

13 PARTICIPATION IN IDENTITY-BUILDING CULTURAL ACTIVITIES: 44.1% (2010)

 

In 2010, 44.1% of the population 12 years or older participated at least once in an identity-building cultural activity. Participation in identity-building cultural activities includes partaking in amateur cultural practices, popular culture, ethnic culture, community practices and youth culture. For the purpose of this indicator, such activities include carnivals, as well as municipal, department and national festivals. This figure does not include participation in identity-building activities such as ceremonies, rituals or community events (e.g., births, marriages, funerals, rites of passage) as no such data is collected at the national level.

 

Identity-building activities are often at the core of social connectivity and the intangible cultural heritage of a society or group. The government of Colombia has made the sustainability of intangible heritage a priority, as indicated by the Governance and Heritage dimension indicators. Thanks to public support and promotion of elements of intangible heritage, four carnivals and festivals that take place in Colombia are included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Within this context, the result of 44.1% suggests a relatively low degree of participation in identity-building cultural activities as less than half of the population participated.

 

A small divergence in the percentage of men (46.9%) and women (41.5%) that participated in identity-building cultural activities can be noted, while more significant variations are recorded according to income quintiles, age, geographical location and levels of education. While the wealthiest quintile did not record the highest percentage of participation but rather the fourth quintile (55.5%), the lowest percentage of participation was recorded for the second quintile (42.8%). There is a decreasing trend in participation with age as 51.9% of individuals 12-25 years took part in identity-building cultural activities, compared to 22.6% of individuals 65 and above. A divide can also be confirmed when looking at participation according to geographic region, though this variation does not correspond to that of participation in going-out cultural activities, the latter implying a need for cultural infrastructures. The results vary from 24.4% for the Bogotá region to 70.4% of the population of Amazonía/Orinoquia. Finally, significant variations also correspond to levels of education. While 53.6% of the population with a university education took part in an identity-building activity in the past 12 months, only 37.3% of those with only an elementary school education did the same. While these results should be considered to promote sustainable intangible heritage and assist public authorities in the development of targeted policies and mechanisms to promote participation in identity-building cultural activities amongst all groups, it should be noted that overall access and participation in identity-building activities is more equal than participation in going-out cultural activities as the listed divergences are less polarized.

14 TOLERANCE OF OTHER CULTURES: 93.17% (2005) 

 

In 2005, 93.17% of Colombians agreed that they do not find people of a different culture as undesirable neighbours. This indicator provides an assessment of the degree of tolerance and openness to diversity, thus providing insight into the levels of interconnectedness within a given society. It is a composite result of respondents’ replies regarding neighbours falling under 3 categories: people of a different race, people of a different religion and indigenous groups. Variations in the results appear across age groups and levels of education. The lowest level of tolerance was recorded for respondents aged 50 and above—89.97%, while respondents aged 15-29 and 30-49 scored 93.9% and 94.07% respectively. A clear upward trend in tolerance corresponds to levels of education obtained ranging from a score of 87.33% for those with no formal education to 97.13% of those with a university education.

 

A more recent alternative indicator supports these largely positive findings. In 2010, 88.93% of Colombians agreed that they do not find immigrants or people of indigenous or African descent as undesirable neighbours. These results could be interpreted as reflecting a cultural context and system of values that is in place that thrives on diversity, fosters tolerance, and encourages an interest in new or different traditions, thus creating a social environment favorable to development. 

 

15 INTERPERSONAL TRUST: 20.5% (2010)

 

In 2010, only 20.5% of the Colombian population agreed that most people can be trusted. This indicator assesses the level of trust and sense of solidarity and cooperation in Colombia, providing insight into its social capital. A result of 20.5% indicates a relatively low level of trust and solidarity, as only one-fifth of the population responded favourably. Only minimal variations in the results can be seen across gender and age. While 22% of women agreed that most people can be trusted, only 19.1% of men agreed. Variation across age groups ranges from 20% of people aged 15-25 and 26-40 to 21.5% for people aged 61 and older. Slightly more polarized variations are recorded according to levels of education. Colombians with a higher education showed the highest levels of trust (26.4%.) when compared to those with basic (19.9%) and secondary level educations (17.1%). Nurturing interpersonal trust is a common obstacle for countries having implemented the CDIS, as the average for all countries is situated at 19.2%. 

 

Cross-analysis with the other indicators of this dimension suggests that there remains an obstruction to transforming widespread feelings of tolerance and openness into sentiments of trust and solidarity. Obstacles to interpersonal trust in Colombia may also be related to the perception of corruption and social inequality, and the persistent environment of political conflict. Additional public efforts merit consideration to improve access and rates of engagement, enhancing the potential of cultural participation to reinforce feelings of mutual understanding, solidarity and cooperation amongst the diverse people of Colombia.

16 FREEDOM OF SELF-DETERMINATION: 8.13/10 (2005)

 

Colombia’s final result is 8.13/10, 10 representing the situation in which individuals believe that there is ‘a great deal of freedom of choice and control’ and 1 being ‘no freedom of choice and control.’ The score of 8.13/10 indicates that the majority of Colombians feel that they have a relatively high degree of control over their lives and are free to live the life they choose, according to their own values and beliefs. Article 18, of the Constitution of Colombia (1991) guarantees the freedom of conscience and that an individual should not be forced to act against his/her convictions or beliefs. By assessing the freedom of self-determination, this indicator evaluates the sense of empowerment and enablement of individuals for deciding and orienting their development. 

 

While the median response for the population is 8.13, variations can be seen according to sex, age and level of education. The median response was 8.13 for men and 8.08 for women, and while respondents aged 50 and above showed a higher level of self-determination with a median result of 8.31, the younger population aged 15-49 showed that they were less confident in their capacity to orientate their development, with a median result of 7.81. Variations also can be noted according to education levels. While the 5% of the surveyed population that has no formal education has the most confidence in their freedom of self-determination (8.34), amongst those with formal education there is a clear upward trend in the perception of self-determination corresponding to the level of education obtained. Those with only a basic education have a median score of 7.99 while those with a secondary or university education have median scores of 8.07 and 8.21 respectively.

 

These results suggest a rather high level of individual agency in Colombia overall, above the average results for all countries having implemented the CDIS, which is situated at 6.7/10. This indicates that for the majority of citizens, Colombia provides the necessary enabling political, economic, social and cultural context for individual well-being and life satisfaction and builds common values, norms and beliefs which succeed in empowering them to live the life they wish.

17 GENDER EQUALITY OBJECTIVE OUTPUTS: 0.64 /1 (2013)

 

Since the early twentieth century when women’s movements were fighting for suffrage in Europe and North America, Colombian women have also been claiming their civil rights. Important milestones include the recognition of equal rights in 1932, which freed women from forced marriage bonds, and the obtainment of citizenship status and the right to vote in 1958. In the second half of the century, the Colombian government participated in key international conferences for women’s rights and ratified international instruments such as the Convention of Belém do Pará (1994) to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women. In 1990, the Presidential Council for Youth, Women and Family was established as a response to Colombia’s adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Since 2010, this government body has been called the Presidential Office for Equality for Women and is to ensure the comprehensive and interdependent human rights of women and gender equality and to strengthen the issue of women and gender in State institutions at national and local levels. More recently yet, in 2013 the Colombian government approved the National Policy for Gender Equality for Women and an Indicative Action Plan 2013-2016 (CONPES 161), which includes a comprehensive plan to guarantee women a violence free life. As part of this new policy, the Colombian government is to invest 3.5 billion pesos in 6 substantial aspects of gender equality anchored in peace building and cultural transformation.

 

Within this context, the result of 0.64/1 reflects a medium degree of gender equality objective outputs and public efforts made to effectively elaborate and implement laws, policies and measures intended to support the ability of women and men to enjoy equal opportunities and rights. Colombia’s result suggests that the governments’ actions are similar to those of other countries as the average result for test phase countries of the CDIS is situated at 0.64/1. 

 

A detailed analysis of the four areas covered by the indicator reveals select persisting gaps where additional investment could further improve gender equality outputs. Little significant divergence can be noted in the areas of gender equity legislation or education. Yet, progress can still be made regarding labour force and political participation. In 2012, 42.7% of women were either employed or actively searching for work, compared to 57.3% of men. Progress also remains regarding the attainment of nationally determined objectives for women in politics. Despite the adoption of Act 581, or the ‘Quota Law,’ in 2000, which aims for 30% of high-level public positions to be held by women; in 2010, women only represented 12% of the elected members of the House of Representatives. Nevertheless, many women’s organizations advocate to raise the targets of the Quota Law to increase beyond 30% for public positions in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the Colombian government.  

 

In Conclusion, while Colombia has made progress in select areas of gender equality, progress remains to be achieved in others. Policies require people, and a further look at the subjective indicator below suggests that Colombians are supportive of gender equality, as reflected by their cultural values and perceptions.

 

In 2005, 80.5% of Colombians positively perceived gender as a factor for development, according to their responses to questions regarding 2 domains that parallel the objective indicator for this dimension - political participation and education. The final result is a composite indicator, which suggests that more than three-fourths of the population of Colombia view gender as a significant factor for development. Individuals’ perceptions on gender equality are strongly influenced by cultural practices and norms, and Colombia’s high results reveal a social commitment to gender equality. This positive perception is higher for women (85.6%) than men (75.5%) and for younger populations with higher levels of education.

 

However, the perception of gender equality varied according to the domain of the question asked. Unsurprisingly, the most favourable perceptions were recorded in regards to education. When asked if “University is more important for a boy than for a girl,” an overwhelming majority of 90.2% of the population disagreed, suggesting that education is a domain in which gender equality is very likely to be perceived as positive for development. When asked if “Men make better political leaders than woman,” a slightly lower but still dominant majority of 70.7% of respondents did not agree, highlighting that still a third of the population either agree or strongly agree with this statement. The Political Culture Survey indicates that in 2011, 45.3% of the voting age population in Colombia had already voted for a woman. According to the same survey, 63.8% of the population recognized that the participation of women in political life is insufficient. While all figures are relatively high, and the esteem for women’s education is consistent with the objective outputs observed, the positive perceptions of the majority of the population who favorably perceive women in politics are not reflected by the low percentage of women in the House of Representatives.

 

>> This cross analysis of the objective and subjective indicators reveals that while attitudes and values of gender equality are reflected in education objective outputs, the majority’s positive perception of women in politics is not translated into tangible outcomes. These results suggest a need for more appropriate measures, programmes and investments to realize objective gender equality in politics and the public sector. Recent forward-looking instruments like the National Policy for Gender Equality for Women and the Indicative Plan of Action 2013-2016 (CONPES 161) are hoped to address these challenges.

19 FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: 45/100 (2012) 

 

The 1991 Constitution of Colombia recognizes freedom of the press, the professional independence of journalists and the freedom on information (Article 20). 

 

Colombia’s score of 45/100 indicates that their print, broadcast, and internet-based media is currently ‘partly free’. A relatively stable environment of independence from the government during the past 50 years has resulted in incremental progress; in 2012, Colombia had a score of 39.5/100. However, these results illustrate that additional efforts are still needed to support an enabling environment for free media to operate and in which freedom of expression is fully respected and promoted. Such an environment is a condition for fostering the free flow of ideas, knowledge, information and content, for building knowledge societies, and enhancing creativity, innovation and cultural diversity.

 

Room for improvement remains in the economic, political and legal environments of Colombia. One of the most significant political obstacles is self-censorship that is particularly frequent during election periods. In regards to the economic environment, media is predominantly privately owned in Colombia. The Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications is responsible for the licensing of radio stations and the National Television Authority (ANTV) regulates television independently. Unfortunately, many decisions to grant licenses are still mediated by political motivations.  Finally, while the legal environment presents satisfactory conditions, controversial court rulings on libel and slander have occurred and can have a negative impact on the effective freedom of expression. 

 

An additional subjective indicator reveals that in 2009, only 26.9% of Colombians agreed that freedom of expression was fully guaranteed. The remaining 73.1% of the population did not feel that they were entirely free, though 33.9% did feel that freedom of expression was ‘fairly guaranteed.’ This additional subjective indicator provides complimentary information on the assessment of the freedom of expression by evaluating to what degree individuals feel that they have the right to exercise this freedom at all times.

20 ACCESS AND INTERNET USE: 40.4% (2011) 

 

In 2011, 40.4% of the population aged 5 and above in Colombia had access and used the Internet. While more than half of the population continued to not have access to the Internet in 2011, when compared to the national average of 2.21% in 2000 and 36.4% in 2010, this result illustrates the rapid development of the sector. This growth in access and use of the Internet can be attributed to the efforts of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications, to promote access, effective use and massive appropriation of ICTs through various official policies and programs. 

 

ICTs are considerably transforming the way people access, create, produce and disseminate cultural content and ideas, influencing people’s opportunities to access and participate in cultural life. Connecting to the Internet can be done from home, work, public areas, or educational facilities. In addition to the use of the Internet as a means of communication, accessing information and learning, 65.7% of the population that used the Internet in 2011 stated that they had used it as a means of entertainment, which included the enjoyment of online cultural content.

 

Access to and use of the Internet continues to be dependent on socio-economic factors. Users are predominantly youths and individuals with higher levels of education. Of the population surveyed in 2011, 83% of the people aged 12-24 responded yes, and 92% of respondents with a post-secondary education used the Internet. However, only 16% of respondents from rural areas had access to and used the Internet, and only 14% of respondents 55 years of age or older similarly responded. These figures demonstrate ongoing challenges for consideration when developing targeted policies to further increase Internet access amongst all Colombians.

21 DIVERSITY OF FICTIONAL CONTENT ON PUBLIC TELEVISION: 33.5% (2013)

 

In 2013, 80% of all broadcasting time on Señal Colombia was dedicated to fiction programmes. 33.5% of this time dedicated to television fiction programmes was dedicated to programmes of Colombian origin. The remaining 66.5% of this time was dedicated to foreign productions. No co-productions were broadcast. Señal Colombia is the only public television channel that supports the production and broadcasting of fictional content and thus this indicator indirectly reflects levels of public support of the dissemination of domestic content produced by local creators and cultural industries. Colombia’s result is above the average for all countries having implemented the CDIS, which is situated at 25.8%. An additional 15% of all content broadcast on Señal Colombia is dedicated to domestic non-fiction programming.

 

Programming domestic productions, and particularly fictions with a high share of cultural content, may increase the population’s level of information on national events and issues, while also helping to build or strengthen identities and promote cultural diversity. Moreover, public broadcasting has major implications for the development of the domestic audio-visual industry, as well as for the flourishing of local cultural expressions and creative products. Señal Colombia’s selected programming, both of national and foreign origin, aims to promote cultural diversity and social participation of Colombian communities. 

 

22 HERITAGE SUSTAINABILITY: 0.86/1 (2014)

 

Colombia’s result of 0.86/1 is reflective of the high level of priority given to the protection, safeguarding and promotion of heritage sustainability by Colombian authorities. The policy, institutional and management development regarding heritage has been significant in recent years. While many public efforts are dedicated to registrations and inscriptions, conservation and management, capacity-building, social appropriation and community involvement and raising-awareness, select persisting gaps call for additional actions to improve this multidimensional framework.

 

Colombia scored 0.87/1 for registration and inscriptions, indicating that authorities’ efforts have resulted in many up-to-date national and international registrations and inscriptions of Colombian sites and elements of tangible and intangible heritage. The national inventory of cultural heritage of Colombia is the list of Properties of Cultural Interest (BIC), which is updated at least once a year. The BICs include heritage assets reported prior to the adoption of the Cultural Heritage Law 1185 in 2008, as well as archaeological heritage sites declared after the issuance of this law. Currently there are 1092 BICs. Government efforts have also resulted in the successful recognition of 6 cultural heritage sites as World Heritage. The national inventory of intangible heritage of Colombia is recorded on the Representative List of Intangible Heritage -LRPCI. Fifteen manifestations of intangible heritage have been declared and recorded on this list, eight of which are part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

 

Colombia scored 0.80/1 for the protection, safeguarding and management of heritage, indicating that there are several well-defined policies and measures, but select gaps persist. The Cultural Heritage Law 1185 of 2008 is now the legislative support of cultural heritage policy in Colombia. This law establishes concepts and contemporary models of management, protection, conservation, recovery, safeguarding, sustainability and dissemination of tangible and intangible heritage. It establishes an institutional structure in which the various levels of government administration work together to fulfil these functions, alongside of communities. The National System of Cultural Heritage is the body that articulates and decentralizes this structure and establishes mechanisms for participation and management. Through this system, the National Heritage Council as well as the Departmental and District Heritage Councils participate and interact with national and local government entities. These institutional and management developments are not yet sufficient as gaps still remain in some areas. One challenge that remains is a need for increased budgetary allocation for the protection and promotion of heritage, requiring the efforts of not only the national central State but also local governments, and in some cases the private sector. Moreover, although major recovery efforts of historic centers have been launched, additional investment and management is required for more complete revitalization. Other challenges concern improving management and safeguarding capabilities regarding intangible heritage celebrations. The intangible heritage of indigenous groups and Afro-descendants is at risk in some regions of Colombia due to inadequate skills in these areas. Finally, although Colombia is party to the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and has adopted national legislation to ensure its application, no specific capacity building and training programmes for the armed forces regarding the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict have been implemented in the last 3 years. Another gap consists of the lack of systematic inclusion of local communities in heritage site management committees, although authorities do recognize that local communities are to be included in registry and inventorying processes. Finally, major heritage sites do not have Disaster Risk Management plans. However, following the climate disaster of the 2010-2011 Niña weather phenomenon, exceptional measures were taken and the Ministry of Culture launched an initiative to repair cultural infrastructures that were affected. 85 buildings were rehabilitated in 12 departments and 60 municipalities. 

 

Colombia scored 0.93/1 for the transmission and mobilization of support, which reflects the tremendous efforts taken to raise awareness of heritage’s value and its threats, as well as efforts to involve all actors in the safeguarding of heritage. The support and involvement of the private sector and civil society in the protection, conservation and promotion of cultural heritage is fostered through the Special Management and Protection Plans of Heritage Properties and the Special Plans for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage. The 2008 Cultural Heritage Law created these plans to establish activities relevant to identification, documentation, research, preservation, protection, promotion, enhancement, transmission and revitalization; and to include in these activities, rigorous processes of consultation and coordination between communities, bodies of the State and participation mechanisms. Regarding the raising of awareness, in addition to differential pricing, measures include programmes to promote the sustainability of natural heritage amongst school age children. Further efforts to improve awareness could be made by increasing the signage at World Heritage sites and at major national cultural heritage sites inscribed in national registries, as no normative framework yet exists regarding the clear identification of such sites for visitors.