The UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture (Culture|2030 Indicators) is a framework of thematic indicators whose purpose is to measure and monitor the progress of culture’s enabling contribution to the national and local implementation of the Goals and Targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The framework will assess both the role of culture as a sector of activity, as well as the transversal contribution of culture across different SDGs and policy areas. As a set of thematic indicators, it is intended to support and complement the global indicators agreed upon within the 2030 Agenda and foster linkages between different Goals and Targets.
The Culture|2030 Indicators framework aims to:
Make visible culture’s contribution to sustainable development
Building on an in-depth analysis of the multiple ways in which culture contributes to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development, the Culture|2030 Indicators provide evidence of culture’s transformative role, making it more visible and tangible. In a context where culture-related data is fragmented and produced by different institutions and agencies, the framework brings the data together and highlights linkages and areas of intersection between culture and other policy areas, thus fostering a better understanding of the breadth of culture’s actions and their direct and indirect con-tribution to sustainable development. Given that the role, impact, and contribution of culture are often not readily quantifiable, the indicators framework seeks to quantify behaviour and actions generated by culture and, alternatively, to document ways in which cultural values are enshrined in policies, pro-grammes, and actions.
Provide a thematic and transversal overview of the role of culture across the SDGs
Rather than monitoring the contribution of culture to each relevant SDG Target and globally accepted indicator, the Culture|2030 Indicators consider the contribution of culture across several of the Goals and Targets, with a view to linking them together. The framework allows aggregation of data across different Goals and Targets around transversal themes in line with UNESCO’s programmes, activities, and policies. These thematic dimensions are underpinned by the ‘5 Ps’ conceptual framework of the SDGs
Strengthen advocacy for culture
By strengthening the transversal visibility of culture in the 2030 Agenda, the Culture|2030 Indicators will help build a coherent and strong narrative on culture and development, that is evidence-based and supported by key messages. This narrative will directly support advocacy efforts at the global, national or local levels, with a view to convincing decision-makers and partners to include culture across their national and urban policies and programmes and to better direct public and private funding towards the culture sector.
Provide evidence-based results to inform policies and actions
The Culture|2030 Indicators provide a conceptual framework and methodological instruments for countries and cities to assess the contribution of culture to the SDGs as part of the existing implemen-tation mechanisms of the 2030 Agenda at the national or local level. Evidence gathered will inform policies and decisions as well as operational actions, both within the cultural sector, and across other sectors transversally. Through repeated application of these measurement tools, the initiative will allow countries and cities to monitor their own progress regarding the outcomes of their policies and the effectiveness or robustness of the policies themselves.
Build a knowledge base for action
Once the framework is implemented by a city or a country, each dataset becomes a valuable source of information that can be analysed to create profiles at the local and national levels, as well as to identify major trends on the contribution of culture to sustainable development in different cities, regions or countries. Analytical material and good practices will help to build a better understanding, with a view to developing a knowledge base with a digital data bank on Culture in the 2030 Agenda.
Monitor progress of the contribution of culture to the 2030 Agenda
Information collected as part of the implementation of the Culture|2030 Indicators in voluntary pilot cities and countries provides a valuable baseline from which to measure progress in addition to directing actions at the local and national levels. The data also contributes to the formation of a global overview of the state of progress of the contribution of culture to the 2030 Agenda and provides evidence-based and analytical material to support the participation of UNESCO in UN-wide reporting mechanisms related to the 2030 Agenda as well to the Resolutions of the General Assembly pertaining to Culture and Development.
The Dimensions
The Culture|2030 Indicators are supported by a conceptual framework of four transversal thematic dimensions: (i) Environment & Resilience, (ii) Prosperity & Livelihoods, (iii) Knowledge & Skills and (iv) Inclusion & Participation. Each dimension combines several SDG Goals and Targets to capture the multifaceted and transversal contribution of culture to sustainable development, thus echoing the purpose of the thematic indicators within the 2030 Agenda. The framework gives priority to the areas that are relevant to UNESCO’s mandate in Culture and where relevant quantitative or qualitative data are already being collected or are likely to be identified.
