The International Decade of Indigenous Languages: evaluating national action plans in light of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Abstract

The United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Language 2022- 2032 (the “Decade”) seeks to raise worldwide awareness of the vulnerable situation of Indigenous Peoples’ languages. Identifying “the urgent need to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages,” the General Assembly resolution proclaiming the Decade calls on States to establish “national mechanisms with adequate funding” to implement the goals of the Decade “in partnership with indigenous peoples.” The resolution further identifies the United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to serve as lead UN agency for the Decade and invites Indigenous Peoples, “as custodians of their own languages” to develop their own implementation measures as well. Several States have already adopted “national action plans,” articulating commitments to advance the goals of the Decade. While these plans are clearly important at a symbolic level, how do we know if they will ”preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages”? How should stakeholders develop and assess national action plans for the IDIL? This paper proposes a set of metrics, based on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People to guide national action plans for the IDIL. Our fundamental concept is that language maintenance and revitalization are as much about culture and community, and the fundamental principle of Indigenous Peoples’ self-determination, as language per se. Given the diversity of Indigenous Peoples, national action plans should offer Indigenous Peoples a structured menu of resources to meet their own objectives with respect to language rights. As they develop their objectives, Indigenous Peoples should have access to information, including data from applied linguistics, that may guide priorities both immediately and in the long term. The paper concludes with an assessment of UNESCO’s Global Action Plan as it relates to existing national action plans and Indigenous Peoples’ own activities for the Decade.