"Indigenous Peoples, Education and ICTs"

While States recognize the right to education as a universal right, the indigenous experience with education includes a history of negative impacts including the suppression of indigenous languages, culture & knowledge. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples attempts to respond to the issues involved in education and indigenous peoples in several articles, most notably Article 13, 14 and 15.

Concepts surrounding the right to indigenous education include:

1. intergenerational transmission of indigenous histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures (Art 13);
2. indigenous communities' right to establish and control their own education systems, delivered in their own languages and in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning (Art 14);
3. the right to the dignity and diversity of their cultures, traditions, histories and aspiration which shall be appropriately reflected in education (Art 15)

The C8 discussion provided an opportunity to discuss how indigenous peoples, UNESCO, governments and the private sector are responding to these issues through the Information Society and the use of ICTs.

Presentations available below:

• Malia Nobrega of the International Indigenous ICT Task Force;
• Roxanna Samii of IFAD on Promoting indigenous peoples’ education
• Roxana Widmer-Iliescu of ITU on Special initiative for assistance indigenous peoples
• Teanau Tuiono on Supporting Indigenous Knowledge in the Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands and
• Serena Heckler on Indigenous Education and ICTs of UNESCO.

Useful link