Comoros: supporting the status of its artists

UNESCO mobilized stakeholders in the field of culture and creative industries in Moroni, Comoros for an information-sharing session on UNESCO Global Survey on policies and measures taken around the world to support the economic and social rights of artists.

UNESCO and the Comoros National Commission for UNESCO, organized the information session on 16 October 2018 at the Direction of Arts and Culture in Moroni in order to raise awareness on the 1980 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist. A dozen of participants were mobilized for the meeting, including the Director General for Arts and Culture, cultural entrepreneurs, artists and representatives of cultural centers and institutes in order to exchange ideas and assess the current status of the Artist in Comoros.

At the end of June 2018, UNESCO launched a Global Survey on the Status of the Artist among Member States, who are expected to submit their responses by 23 November 2018. The October meeting included a presentation of the survey to participants in Comoros. The survey aims at evaluating policies and measures taken in the world to support the economic and social rights of artists.

The UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist calls on UNESCO Members States to improve the professional, social and economic conditions of Artists by implementing policies and measures related to training, social security, employment, income, tax system, mobility and freedom of expression. The Recommendation equally recognizes the right of artists to constitute trade unions or professional associations, to ensure a fair representation and defense of the interests of their members.

With the adoption of the UNESCO Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in 2005, a new impetus was given to the UNESCO 1980 Recommendation. Recognizing the central role of the Artists in the creation and production of a diversity of cultural expressions, the 2005 Convention provides a visionary normative framework of the application and the follow-up of the 1980 Recommendation.

The XXI session of the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Recommendation in 1980. At the time, the need to understand and to strengthen the role of “creative workers” was already recognized by the Member States, as well as the need to improve their conditions, taking into consideration, both specific conditions related to their profession, and their contributions to development.

Today the Recommendation remains as relevant as it was in 1980, considering the persistent challenges in the world, in the field of social and economic rights, and in the impact of digital technology on the Artists’ work.

“The General Direction of Arts and Culture of Comoros has adopted measures to strengthen implementation of the UNESCO 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist, notably through the elaboration of a strategic document defining the Artist in Comoros and her/his Rights,” stated Ms. Wahidat Hassani, Director General of Arts and Culture during the information session. “A proposed process to establish legislation on the Status of the Artist was already submitted to the National Assembly,” she added.

A follow-up meeting is being organized by UNESCO in mid-October 2018 to accompany Comoros in the finalization of its response on the Global Survey