INDIGENOUS EDUCATION BOOSTS WOMEN’S HEALTH AND EDUCATION PROSPECTS – UN
New York, May 12 2004 11:00AM
A supportive policy environment as well as political commitment is needed to ensure quality indigenous education both as
a right in itself and as a means to improve the economic and health prospects of women, the United Nations Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues has been told.
Several recent studies show that one extra year beyond primary school boosts economic possibilities for women by 10 per
cent, leads to greater literacy and lower fertility, reduces child mortality and fosters democratic citizenship, Linda
King, Interim Chief of the Section on Education for Peace and Human Rights in the UN Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO), told the Forum. Some 1,500 people from 500 groups are meeting over the next two weeks in
the Forum’s third session at UN Headquarters in New York to focus attention on indigenous women and girls, whose
well-being is critical to the survival and prosperity of their peoples' unique culture in this age of globalization.
In her address yesterday, Ms. King noted that increased literacy among women had a greater effect on child mortality
rates than increased literacy among males. Other research shows a link between the expansion of education and increased
economic activity, she added. Also, children who went to school were more likely to protect themselves against diseases
such as HIV/AIDS.
Among requirements she listed for quality education were both formal and non-formal teaching methods at home and in the
community, indigenous knowledge in educational curricula and innovative solutions for portraying indigenous knowledge
systems as equal to Western systems.
Other needs include culture-based curricula appropriate to the community, curricula promoting positive aspects of
indigenous cultures, and the use of indigenous languages. In addition, teachers should be familiar with indigenous
cultures and languages, and use responsive and experiential teaching methods.
Opening the Forum on Tuesday, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said despite a dramatic shift in global attitudes, indigenous
peoples still suffered disproportionately from extreme poverty and faced serious barriers to health care and basic
education. The Forum advises and makes recommendations to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on social
development, economic, cultural, human rights, environmental, education and health issues.
2004-05-12 00:00:00.000