Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Patrick Ssentongo
Published on 2024-01-28 06:08:31
The Gender, Labour, and Social Development Ministry, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), has unveiled two important reports on the state of the creative industry following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The release of the reports, which are a result of two joint projects—the Unesco-Aschberg Project and the Digital Open Roadmap Project, highlights the dire socio-economic status of artists, digital skills gaps among industry practitioners, and recommendations for new policies. These projects have been running simultaneously over the past year.
The Unesco-Aschberg Project, led by Amos Tindyebwa, a cultural policy expert, focused on enhancing the status of artists and culture professionals after the pandemic. This involved an extensive examination of legal, policy, and regulatory frameworks within the cultural sector. The project’s outcomes include a detailed baseline study on the socio-economic conditions of artists post-pandemic and recommendations for policy reform.
The Digital Open Roadmap Project, spearheaded by Polly Kamukama, a lecturer of performing arts at Makerere University, aims to support beneficiary countries in implementing benchmarking activities outlined in Unesco’s 2019 Open Roadmap framework. This initiative specifically targets the improvement of digital skills among audiovisual industry practitioners. The achievements of this project include a comprehensive baseline study on digital skill gaps and the successful execution of a nationwide capacity-building program, benefiting more than 600 industry stakeholders.
Ms Peace Mutuuzo, the junior Gender and Culture minister, has expressed the ministry’s commitment to work with Unesco and other international partners, as well as local stakeholders, to implement the recommendations of these reports in line with global and national development goals.
In 2015, Uganda ratified the 2005 Unesco Convention, which obligates member states to uphold freedom of expression and economic rights for artists. The government has passed laws and implemented incentives to support the local arts industry, including a review of the 2006 national cultural policy, the launch of a film fund, and the establishment of the National Cultural Forum.
Despite the challenges faced by the local cultural sector, Unesco’s regional program officer for East Africa, Judy Ogana, is hopeful that the two reports will go a long way in addressing these gaps.
