CULTURE AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THE URBAN CONTEXT OF CARTAGENA

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to critically analyze access to culture as a fundamental right of children and adolescents in Cartagena de Indias, assessing whether the city effectively guarantees this right or whether there are gaps that limit its exercise. The methodology used consisted of a documentary analysis of district, national, and international regulatory sources, complemented by a dialectical method that allowed for a comparison between the legal framework guaranteeing rights and the socioeconomic reality of the territory. Key references were considered, such as the 1991 Constitution, Law 1098 of 2006, the 2024-2027 District Development Plan, and guidelines from organizations such as UNESCO. As a result, a profound structural tension was revealed between the city's institutional projection as cultural heritage and the real conditions of exclusion faced by minors. The main finding shows that, despite the existence of a robust regulatory framework, territorial, social, and educational barriers persist that restrict equitable access to cultural goods and services. It is concluded that the realization of this right requires transcending institutional rhetoric by strengthening sustained public policies with a real focus on social justice, territorial decentralization, and the active participation of children in the construction of their cultural identity.