The United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Hears Testimony as Indigenous Refuse to Silence Their Mother Tongues
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, July 20, 2026
GENEVA -- The Mother Tongue carries the identity, heritage and survival of the people. "When Indigenous languages die, Indigenous Peoples die," Maori told the U.N. Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Canada tried to silence the Mother Tongues in residential schools. In Botswana, displacement and genocide could mean the silencing of the peoples spoken word. In Morocco, discrimination is the reality for the language carriers, the mothers of future generations. In Venezuela, sanctions have not prevented the government from revitalizing 42 Indigenous languages, Indigenous delegates told the U.N. Expert Mechanism.
Japan denies there are Indigenous Peoples born in Okinawa.
Nishnawbe-Aski Nation First Nation Youth Delegation member Keira Spence, of Moose Cree First Nation, described how Canada attempted to silence the Mother Tongues, and what this means for future generations.
"When a language is lost, a nation's capacity to govern itself is diminished."
"Our delegation comes from nations whose languages were targeted by Canada's policies of forced assimilation and language suppression."
"Indigenous languages are not only expressions of indigenous cultures, they are institutions of indigenous government. The decades success will be measured
by whether indigenous languages are once again lived, spoken, and transmitted within our nations," Spence said.
"Indigenous languages carry laws, treaty relationships, ceremonies, identity,
and knowledge across generations."
"Today, we carry the responsibility of their resurgence, reminding us that revitalization
of indigenous languages are not only about preserving words but fulfilling our responsibilities to future generations."
The Nishnawbe-Aski Nation First Nation Youth Delegation offered four recommendations. To begin with, countries should develop an update on Indigenous language action plans in partnership with Indigenous Peoples before the decades midterm review in 2027. Second, sustained financing should be established with measurable implementation, target, and public reporting.
Third, ensure AI initiatives affecting Indigenous languages, including language technologies, data infrastructure, and related developments are governed through FPI (Free, prior and informed consent), Indigenous data sovereignty and effective regulation.
Fourth, the Expert Mechanism should continue advancing discussions on an international convention on Indigenous language rights to strengthen legal protection,
accountability, and sustained international cooperation beyond the decade.
"Our responsibility is to ensure the next generation inherits living indigenous languages, not only recorded ones."
The Ontario Native Women's Association told the United Nations, "Language is rooted in who we are."
"Our languages are our laws, our teachings, our relationship with the land, and our identity."
"Our languages are fundamental to our self-determination, our sovereignty, and our livelihood. For indigenous women and girls, language is rooted in who we are. It carries the teachings of our elders, our responsibilities to future generations
and our role in our communities."
"Colonial policies have deliberately sought to erase our languages, particularly by forced removal of our children from homes and communities."
The delegation points out that Indigenous languages are receiving less funding than the colonial languages of English and French in Canada.
"While we recognize that Canada launched a national action plan for the International Decade of Indigenous languages in June 2024, we are deeply concerned about the lack of action and funding, including the vast disproportionate funding allocated to the official colonial languages, English and French compared to the indigenous languages."
The delegation recommended that their report be included to the Human Rights Council, and pointed out that governments need to adequately finance measures to implement the global action plan and domestic action plans on indigenous languages.
"This includes adequately funding Indigenous women's organizations to
maintain and provide access to traditional languages, cultures, indigenous knowledge, and land based knowledge and healing."
maintain and provide access to traditional languages, cultures, indigenous knowledge, and land based knowledge and healing."
Second, the delegation recommended that the Expert Mechanism ensure indigenous women's full, effective and meaningful participation as well as leadership at all levels of decision making.
Third, the delegation urged the expert mechanism implement previous proposals to advance the global action plan on indigenous languages and to include an Indigenous gender-based lens that adequately includes Indigenous women.
Amazigh woman in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Photo Marlowe Starling, PBS
MOROCCO AMAZIGH WOMEN
The struggle to maintain the Amazigh language in Morocco is intrinsic in the battle against discrimination and the struggle for survival.
"For indigenous women, the gap between international commitments and daily realities remains a major concern. Amazigh women in Morocco have historically played a fundamental role in preserving our language, identity, cultural heritage, and traditional knowledge," a representative told the United Nations.
"However, many continue to face multiple forms of discrimination that affect their ability to fully enjoy their rights. In our communities, women still encounter barriers in accessing essential public services, including healthcare, education, justice, and administrative services."
"Language barriers, geographical isolation and insufficient consideration
of indigenous realities can prevent them from exercising rights that should be guaranteed to all."
"For indigenous women, the gap between international commitments and daily realities remains a major concern. Amazigh women in Morocco have historically played a fundamental role in preserving our language, identity, cultural heritage, and traditional knowledge," a representative told the United Nations.
"However, many continue to face multiple forms of discrimination that affect their ability to fully enjoy their rights. In our communities, women still encounter barriers in accessing essential public services, including healthcare, education, justice, and administrative services."
"Language barriers, geographical isolation and insufficient consideration
of indigenous realities can prevent them from exercising rights that should be guaranteed to all."
"As we approach the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we must reaffirm that the value of this declaration lies not only in its recognition, but in its effective implementation."
The Declaration recognizes through Articles two, 18, 21, 22 and 23, the principles of non discrimination, participation, equality, and the rights of indigenous peoples
to be involved in decisions affecting them.
"We therefore encourage states, United Nations Human Rights mechanisms, and relevant institutions to strengthen the implementation of the Declaration by ensuring
the meaningful participation of indigenous women and youth, guaranteeing culturally appropriate public services, and supporting indigenous organizations working at the community level."
"The Declaration is a powerful instrument, but its true impact will be measured by the changes it creates in the daily lives of indigenous peoples."
"For indigenous women, recognizing their rights means ensuring that they can live with dignity, equality, and full participation."
In Botswana, an Indigenous language, N/u, is at risk of being lost due to displacement and genocide. With only a few speakers remaining, the community faces a loss of identity, a representative for Botswana's Indigenous told the United Nations.
"With every elder we lose, we lose an irreplaceable library of history, traditional knowledge, and cultural identity," Botswana's representative said.
"Language revitalization should not stop at national borders. The Mako language is well established in neighboring Namibia, where it benefits from a documented language policy, educational materials, teacher training, and university level instructions."
"With every elder we lose, we lose an irreplaceable library of history, traditional knowledge, and cultural identity," Botswana's representative said.
"Language revitalization should not stop at national borders. The Mako language is well established in neighboring Namibia, where it benefits from a documented language policy, educational materials, teacher training, and university level instructions."
"This presents an important opportunity for regional cooperation," he said, referring to the language also known as Mbarakwengo, Xwe, or Kwengo. Cross border language camps are one of the many possibilities.
The displacement and genocide, and the detrimental impact on Indigenous languages in Botswana mirrors similar testimony from across Africa and Asia, where Indigenous Peoples struggle to survive genocidal wars and erasure by governments.
Japan Denies Indigenous Identity in Okinawa and Wants Danger of Hazardous U.S. Military Chemicals Stricken from Report
Japan was among the governments who denied the identity of Indigenous Peoples, in testimony before Expert Mechanism. Japan's representative told the Expert Mechanism that Japan does not recognize people in Okinawa as Indigenous.
Meanwhile, Indigenous in Okinawa described their unique languages, and the struggle against the negative impacts of U.S. military bases on Okinawa.
Japan’s government explicitly denied that the people of Okinawa (Ryukyu) are a distinct indigenous group. Japan also objected to statements about PFAs (synthetic forever chemicals) and other environmental and human health dangers from the water, linked to U.S. military bases in Okinawa.
Japan’s government explicitly denied that the people of Okinawa (Ryukyu) are a distinct indigenous group. Japan also objected to statements about PFAs (synthetic forever chemicals) and other environmental and human health dangers from the water, linked to U.S. military bases in Okinawa.
Japan maintains that national security matters are outside the scope of Indigenous forums. The government of Japan took the extreme step of asking the U.N. Expert Mechanism to remove the statement about PFAs from the Expert Mechanism's draft statement.
Responding to the theft by A.I. companies of Indigenous languages, Okinawan delegate Alexyss McClellan-Ufugusuku warned that indigenous languages, oral histories, faces, and cultural expressions are being data-scraped by profit-making AI developers without community consent.
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| The Venezuelan government described efforts to keep alive the 42 Indigenous languages. |
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Venezuela's government spoke of the vast languages in the country, and the efforts to keep Indigenous languages alive in a time of sanctions.
"For our country, the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples is a commitment
to the memory and cosmos vision of our people. Forty-two indigenous languages are spoken in our country's live expression of the culture and the multi-ethnic pluricultural nature of our country."
"The promotion of these languages is an express mandate contained in our constitutions. In 2021, Venezuela started a comprehensive review of the law on
indigenous languages in order to revitalize, protect these languages and transmit them to future delegations."
"Also, the country is promoting community spaces where the elderly transmit their language to children through oral narration, dialogue, and songs."
"In this way, not only the languages are preserved, but also traditional knowledge,
values, and traditions of each peoples."
"Nevertheless, we have to say the UCMs (unilateral collective measures, known as sanctions) create obstacles for states to implement and protect the economic, social and cultural rights of indigenous peoples and the necessary resources to implement public policies.
to the memory and cosmos vision of our people. Forty-two indigenous languages are spoken in our country's live expression of the culture and the multi-ethnic pluricultural nature of our country."
"The promotion of these languages is an express mandate contained in our constitutions. In 2021, Venezuela started a comprehensive review of the law on
indigenous languages in order to revitalize, protect these languages and transmit them to future delegations."
"Also, the country is promoting community spaces where the elderly transmit their language to children through oral narration, dialogue, and songs."
"In this way, not only the languages are preserved, but also traditional knowledge,
values, and traditions of each peoples."
"Nevertheless, we have to say the UCMs (unilateral collective measures, known as sanctions) create obstacles for states to implement and protect the economic, social and cultural rights of indigenous peoples and the necessary resources to implement public policies.
"These measures also compromise the promotion of indigenous languages and traditional knowledge.
"Venezuela will continue to work together with indigenous peoples to revitalize
and preserve their languages, convinced that to preserve a language is to preserve the memory and identity of peoples."
Mexico: Sixty-two Languages
With 62 languages spoken, Mexico's government said it is grateful for the dialogue of the International Decade of Indigenous languages.
With 62 languages spoken, Mexico's government said it is grateful for the dialogue of the International Decade of Indigenous languages.
"This is a decade which Mexico supports," Mexico's government representative said.
"In Mexico, we are undertaking many efforts to revitalize and strengthen indigenous languages. Article 2 of our Constitution establishes the ability of the indigenous peoples to use, preserve, protect, develop, and disseminate their indigenous languages and the obligation of governmental institutions to have interpreters and translators who are trained."
"That is why the Mexican government strengthens teaching, transmission,and preservation of 62 languages which belong to 58 indigenous peoples in 22 federal states of the country," he said.
Mexico has established 400 community houses with 400 language promoters, operated and run by indigenous peoples as subjects of public law.
In addition, in 2023, the University of Indigenous Languages of Mexico was inaugurated. It aims to provide higher education to train professionals in indigenous languages at the levels of BA specialty, MA and PhD.
The university has BAs in the teaching of indigenous languages, interpretation, and translation into Indigenous languages and intercultural indigenous communication.
"Lastly, I am pleased to report that this year, Mexico has taken on the presidency of
the Ibero American Institute of Indigenous Languages." The Institute's purpose is to promote the use, conservation, and development of indigenous languages which are spoken in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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INDIA: The Mother Tongue
In Northeast India, there is the struggle to keep alive the Bodo language. There is a need for it to be taught in schools, and promoted in work places, an Indigenous representative told the U.N. The promotion of the Bodo language should rely on teaching the Mother Tongue in culturally-relevant education programs, he said.
UKRAINE: Repression and Occupation Dismantle Language Programs
The occupation and repression in Ukraine resulted in Indigenous language programs being replaced by programs promoting loyalty to the Russian Federation, at at time when 7,000 languages are at risk of disappearing, Ukraine's representative told the U.N.
"Since the temporary occupation of Crimea in 2014, Indigenous peoples of Ukraine,
particularly the Crimea Tatars have faced systematic violations of their fundamental rights, including restrictions on language, education, culture, and identity."
"These actions represent a deliberate policy aimed at weakening indigenous peoples
and accelerating assimilation."
"The Crimean Tatar language has been among the main targets of these efforts."
"Before the occupation, Crimea had 384 school classes providing education in the Crimea Tatar language, enabling thousands of children to learn in their native language and maintain their cultural heritage."
"Under the occupation administration of the Russian Federation, this system has been gradually dismantled with opportunities for Crimea data education reduced to a
minimum and Russian becoming dominant in schools and public life."
"The occupying authorities have replaced Ukrainian educational standards with the Russian curriculum, removed Ukrainian and Crimea perspectives from textbooks and introduced ideological programs promoting loyalty to the occupying state."
"Since Russia's full scale invasion in 2022, similar practices have expanded to
other parts of Tempa occupied territory where Ukrainian language education has been
nearly eliminated and children are forced to study according to Russian programs without access to their native language or independent historical narratives."
"These policies violate international obligations, including the UN Declaration
on the Rights of Indigenous peoples, which guarantees indigenous people's rights to preserve, develop, and transmit their language and cultural traditions."
"They also undermine the objectives of the international decade of Indigenous language established by the UN to protect endangered languages worldwide.
UNESCO estimates that around 40% of the world's approximately 7,000 languages are at risk of disappearing, highlighting the urgent need for action."
"The experience of the Crimea Tartars demonstrates how occupation and repression
can threaten linguistic diversity."
"The international decade should serve as a platform for stronger monitoring,
support for language revitalization, documentation of violations, and
accountability."
The testimony before the week-long session in Geneva concluded on Friday.
Copyright Brenda Norrell, Censored News 2026
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