14 languages are even more far-reaching. Studies published by the World Bank,18 UNESCO,19 UNICEF,20 and in different parts of the world,21 confirm that the proportionate use of the language of minorities in education, combined with quality teaching of the official language: 1. Is more cost-effective in the long term. 2. Reduces dropout and repetition rates.22 3. Leads to noticeably better academic results, particularly for girls.23 4. Improves levels of literacy and fluency in both the mother tongue and the official or majority language.24 5. Leads to greater family and community involvement and support. 6. The use of minority languages in a state’s administrative and other public activities thus involves fundamental issues of inclusiveness, participation, access, quality and effectiveness. Identity In inclusive societies, both individual identity and national identity are important: neither excludes the other. This extends to the centrality of language as a marker of the identity of linguistic minorities as communities. In addition to allowing an individual’s own name to be used in private contexts, authorities should accept and use it in his or her language.25 A non-discriminatory, inclusive and effective approach to language issues would also mean the use of topographical and street names in minority languages where minorities are concentrated or have been historically significant. Recognition and celebration of national identity should include an acknowledgment of the contributions of all components of society, including those of minorities and their languages. The promotion of national identity and official languages is a legitimate objective from a human rights perspective. However, measures that seek to promote them must not be coercive or contrary to human rights obligations towards minorities, particularly where it affects their identity. The centrality of identity is emphasized in article 1 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Dutcher, N. and Tucker, G. R., The Use of First and Second Languages in Education: A Review of Educational Experience (World Bank: Washington DC, 1997); World Bank (note 2). Lopez, L.E., Reaching the unreached: indigenous intercultural bilingual education in Latin America, paper commissioned for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2010, Reaching the marginalized (UNESCO, 2010). UNICEF, ‘Action Research on Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education: Improving the equity and quality of education for ethnic minority children in Viet Nam’, September 2012, available at <http://www.unicef.org/vietnam/Edu_Pro_Brief_3_-_8_pages.pdf>. UNESCO (note 4); Kosonen, K. and Person, K.R. ‘Languages, identities and education in Thailand’, in Peter Sercombe and Ruanni Tupas (eds), Language, Identities and Education in Asia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014); Baron, K., ‘ACLU sues state over English-language instruction’, EdSource, 24 April 2013, <http://edsource.org/today/2013/aclu-sues-state-over-english-language-instruction/30901#.UvsFZ_t_LSe>. Association for the Development of Education in Africa, ‘Language and education’, ADEA Newsletter (April–June 2005), p. 13. Benson, C., Girls, Educational Equity and Mother Tongue-based Teaching (UNESCO: Bangkok, 2005), <http://www.unescobkk.org/resources/e-library/publications/article/girls-educational-equity-and-mother-tongue-based-teaching/>. Cummins, J. (2000), Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire (Multilingual Matters: Clevedon, UK, 2000). Raihman v. Latvia (note 10).