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Addressee: UNICEF, UNESCO, UNDP, World Bank, IFAD UN system
Full Text
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), UNESCO, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and other agencies should continue to support, in cooperation with indigenous peoples, intercultural and bilingual education programs and to promote in particular the right to education, with emphasis on indigenous children; direct financial assistance to indigenous educational institutions should be considered.
Responses
UNICEF's support for bilingual and intercultural education programs in indigenous areas has been oingoing. Bolivia is participating in UNICEF's 25 by 2005 initiative, and UNICEF has made efforts to promote indigenous girls' education under the Indigenous Girls' Education Project. Intercultural education strategies, primary education modules and a national database that helps to compile and process statistical data and indicators have been established under the project. UNICEF has established a special program to strengthen basic education of indigenous girls in three ethnic groups in Paraguay. Teaching tools have been revised, and teachers trained on gender and cultural aspects in their work with indigenous communities. For further details please see UNICEF's Report to the Fifth Session (E/C.19/2006/Add.11)
UNESCO addresses the concerns of Recommendation 50 through its ongoing Program on Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Education. With a focus on promoting universally shared values and a culturally sensitive diversification of educational contents and methods, UNESCO is working to promote quality education as a fundamental right for all by addessing a broad range of themes, which include respect for cultural and linguistic diversity. During the last year UNESCO has pursued action in this area through publication, translation, and dissemination of information material, the development and implementation of several field projects, the creation of advisory committees and the organization of conferences and workshops on the subject. Currently, a position paper and data base on intercultural education are being developed. The database will be prepared for public distribution, targeted for use by expert practitioners, NGOs, academics and other interested parties. For further details on UNESCO activities in this area please see E/C.19/2006/6/Add.9
Final Report of UNPFII Session 4 (2005)
Area of Work
