Thursday 10 December marks UN Human Rights Day which this year has the theme Recover Better, focussing on the essential role of human rights to recovery efforts that can tackle entrenched, systematic, and intergenerational inequalities, exclusion and discrimination.

In recent months, much focus has been understandably directed towards national needs and priorities, as governments respond to the pandemic and the particularities of their contexts. However, in recent weeks, the headlines highlight renewed commitments to intergovernmental cooperation and shared regional visions.

This month the headlines reflect ongoing efforts to address the working conditions of cultural and creative professionals, and the future of the sector that relies on them.

This issue the headlines highlight increased investment and support for arts and culture in countries whose sectors have begun to reactivate, with many focussing on cultural infrastructure and the performing arts.

The UN International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples fell on 9 August 2020, marking the anniversary of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, which took place in 1982. Recent headlines reflect this focus on Indigenous peoples, highlighting positive developments and persistent issues.

While the need to foster cultural equity is not new, recent events have further confirmed its urgency, and this month’s headlines have highlighted how different actors worldwide are responding to work towards a more equitable future.