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UNESCO launches the Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages
The Global Task Force sets up a solid pathway for ensuring indigenous peoples’ right to preserve, revitalize and promote their languages, and mainstreaming linguistic diversity and multilingualism aspects into the sustainable development efforts. Acting as an international coordination mechanism, the Global Task Force will help to prepare, plan, implement and monitor activities in the framework of the upcoming International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032).
During the International Decade, global attention on the critical situation of many indigenous languages will be raised at international, regional and national levels, and resources will be mobilized for the preservation, revitalization and promotion of indigenous languages. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the period 2022-2032 as the International Decade of the Indigenous Languages (IDIL2022-2032) and invited UNESCO to serve as the lead UN Agency for its organization, in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and other relevant agencies including The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The Global Task Force provides an international framework for inclusion, openness, participation and multistakeholder engagement in the International Decade.
The Global Task Force is composed of representatives of:
- National governments from each electoral group of UNESCO;
- Indigenous peoples’ organizations from seven socio-cultural organizations;
- Representatives of the three-party UN mechanisms such as the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues, Expert Mechanism for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and
- UN system entities including UNESCO, UNDESA, and OHCHR.
Members are appointed for a three-year period rotating between the Steering Committee (one year) and Advisory Group (two years). The work of the Steering Committee and Advisory Group will be supported by the Ad-hoc group(s) tasked to consult other stakeholders on the technical, regional or specific thematic aspects and issues. The Multi-stakeholder consultative meeting will take place once in three years providing a forum for strategic dialogue among a wide range of stakeholders.
The international governance mechanism will build its work on the lessons learnt from the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019), the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (1995 – 2004), the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples and its Outcome document, and the World Conference Against Racism and its Action Plan, as well as other international normative frameworks. The principles of rotation, orientation towards action, participation and international cooperation will be applied by stakeholders over the 10-year period. In the long-term, the Global Task Force for Making a Decade of Action for Indigenous Languages will lay a solid foundation for the development of consensus as well as a drive consolidated actions to advance the rights of indigenous peoples and language users around the world.
