Rights of linguistic minorities 2013, para. 39
Paragraph- Paragraph text
- The phenomenon of minority language decline constitutes an urgent global challenge. The UNESCO Endangered Languages Programme warns that half of the world’s estimated 6,000 plus languages will likely die out by the end of the century. In some cases significant and urgent efforts are required to protect both the communities and their language heritage. The decline in numbers of language speakers may be due to a combination of factors, including the result of processes of cultural dilution through inter-ethnic marriage, voluntary relocation and decline in community numbers. However, some groups are vulnerable to factors beyond their control, such as policies of assimilation that promote dominant national or official languages, the impact of conflict, or forced displacement from their traditional lands. Some countries have aggressively promoted a single national language as a means of reinforcing sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2013
- Paragraph type
- Other
- Paragraph number
- 39
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