Creative Economy: A Feasible Development Option

2The development dimensioneties. The goals encompass the holistic approach to developmentechoed in concepts such as the “human developmentindex”, “liveable societies” and “gross national happiness”.The full realization of these goals necessitates innovative andcross-sectoral approaches to development that incorporatecultural, social and environmental aspects.The creative sectors of developing economies have significantpotential to contribute towards the achievement ofat least the following six specific components of the MDGs:■■Poverty eradication and reduction of inequality. The manifestationsof a people’s culture — customs, rituals, artefacts, musicand so on — permeate the daily lives of men, women andchildren and constitute a significant element in providingfor their happiness and well-being. Any strategy that usesculture as a means of economic development and empowermenthas the capacity to reach out to all members of acommunity and to affect their lives in some way regardlessof their socio-economic status. It follows that sustainabledevelopment of the creative industries at the local level,especially if it targets the arts, creative activities and thegrowth of small business, will be capable of making animportant contribution to poverty eradication and thereduction of inequality.Contrary to more traditional, larger-scale industrial development,the business unit in the creative-industries sector istypically quite small, often comprising family businesses.This means that the product originates in many diverseunits while the production is mostly on a small scale. In thisrespect, the creative industries are particularly suited to helpcommunity regeneration and the sustainability of traditionalsocieties. The creative industries not only offer the possibilityof income generation but they also provide opportunities foremployment that are easier to reconcile with family and communityobligations. The smaller business unit is also moreclosely affiliated to the informal economy and to the privatesectorinvestment potential that are found in the poorersegments of the economy. It will therefore provide a moreeffective vehicle for targeted economic development initiativeswhose focus is poverty eradication.Gender equality. The creative process provides many opportunitiesfor women to participate in creative activity thatyields both economic and cultural rewards. Therefore,■■development strategies should include pro-poor projectsfor enhancing creative capacities, particularly in areas suchas handicrafts (basket weavers, potters, wood carvers, etc.)and fashion (leather workers, clothing, jewellers, jute andsilk weavers, embroiderers, etc). This can benefit a largenumber of female artisans by helping them take charge oftheir lives and generate income for their families and communities,particularly in rural areas. A successful case inthis regard is the Aarong Project in Bangladesh, which wasdeveloped by the Bangladesh Rural AdvancementCommittee in association with Oxfam, the nongovernmentalorganization. The project provides tens ofthousands of people, particularly rural women, with alivelihood in the creative industries. 1Sustainable development strategies. In order to ensure a sustainableand inclusive development path for developing countries,culture and environment must be mainstreamed indevelopment policies. Cultural erosion is a big concern.Many modes of life, languages and forms of culturalexpression are gradually being lost in different parts of theworld. Biodiversity is also being lost at accelerating rates,due to the widespread overexploitation of biologicalresources, which carry a tremendous cost to our economic,social and cultural livelihoods. Today, millions of peopledepend on biodiversity for food, medicines, income,jobs, fuels and cloths, as well as for cultural and spiritualneeds. Biodiversity is not only essential for agriculture andpharmaceuticals but also for the creative industries, in particularart crafts, fashion, accessories and interior designcreative products. 2 In recent years, a positive trend towardsethical consumerism has been emerging and should be furtherpromoted. Awareness should be raised, and policiesshould be in place to promote the right balance betweenthe sustainable use and the conservation of biodiversity,while nurturing the creative economy in the developingworld. One of the main attributes of the creative economyis that it can generate substantial economic rewards,yielding large cultural, ecosystem and biodiversity payoffs.It stimulates creativity and civic environmental engagement,thus promoting the benefits of both cultural diversityand biodiversity.Global partnerships for development. International cooperation isa key component in assisting developing countries to meet1 Rogers (2009).2 UNCTAD (April 2010).3 Statement made by UNCTAD, Chief of Creative Economy Programme, at UNESCO First Session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Protection andPromotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Paris, June 2007.34 CREATIVE ECONOMY REPORT 2010