The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) complements the protection of cultural rights by addressing them from the perspective of individual and collective civil liberties, with particular attention to minorities. Article 27 provides that:

In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practise their own religion, or to use their own language.

This provision establishes a clear obligation for States not only to refrain from discriminatory practices, but also to ensure the effective enjoyment of cultural, religious, and linguistic expressions by minority groups. Article 27 highlights the inherently collective dimension of cultural rights, recognising culture as something that is lived and transmitted within communities. It thus plays a crucial role in safeguarding cultural diversity, social cohesion, and pluralism, and it has been interpreted as requiring States to adopt positive measures where necessary to protect minority cultures from erosion, marginalisation, or assimilation pressures.