World heritage and rights-based approaches

Human rights issues have been an integral dimension of UNESCO's mission and work since its establishment. While rights issues are not explicitly mentioned in the 1972 World Heritage Convention, its Strategic Objective "To enhance the role of communities in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention" underscores the need to respect and support communities to be involved in World Heritage processes. Where rights issues are not addressed, a range of problems and conflicts can arise. ICOMOS, IUCN and ICCROM, as Advisory Bodies to the Convention, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre, are collaborating to increase understanding and identify effective approaches to clarifying the rights dimension in World Heritage work. The goal is to promote the application of "good practice" approaches to rights and their enabling conditions in relation to World Heritage, and to develop and recommend possible tools that would assist our work in the nomination and state of conservation processes, as well as the overall work of the Advisory Bodies, to ensure rights issues are appropriately considered.