24 spent judiciously – and effectively – whether it is on public health care, social services or public broadcasting. For public authorities to use only one language can be much more wasteful than using minority languages for official purposes in a country. Use of only the dominant language can be a powerful deterrent to seeking services for members of minority communities, particularly women.44 Measures in many countries to guarantee the reasonable and proportionate use of minority languages in the areas of administrative, health and other public services have had clearly positive results in terms of the effectiveness of communication and service delivery, the quality of services received by stakeholders, and the participation of minorities in various aspects of social and public life. The practice in a number of countries also shows that using minority languages reduces unemployment rates among the minorities concerned, and that the overall sense of inclusion and identification with the state increases. Policymakers, legislators and authorities must keep in mind that: 1. Inclusiveness requires the use of minority languages where appropriate – the best way for authorities to reach, communicate with and engage individuals is to use their language where possible. 2. Not using minority languages where reasonable and justified is ineffective (people may not understand or be comfortable with using the official language) and wasteful (resources are not spent on the most cost-effective form of communication). 3. Using minority languages reduces minorities’ exclusion from political and public participation; it also increases the presence of members of such minorities in the institutions of the state that use these languages. On what legally binding and other basis? • Art. 2(2) + 9, 10, 12, 15, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (United Nations) • Art. 26, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (United Nations) • Arts. 5(a) & 5(e)(4), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (United Nations) • Arts. 2 + 28, 29 & 30, Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations) • Arts. 24, 25, & 30, Convention (No. 169) Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (International Labour Organization) • Protocol No. 12, European Convention on Human Rights (Council of Europe) • Art. 10(2), Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (Council of Europe) • Arts 10 & 13, European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (Council of Europe) • Rec. 11, Guidance Note of the UN Secretary-General on Racial Discrimination and the Protection of Minorities (2013) • Recs 13–15, Oslo Recommendations Regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities (OSCE) 44 Ishida K. et al., ‘Ethnic inequality in Guatemalan women’s use of modern reproductive health care’, International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, vol. 38, no. 2 (2012), pp. 99–108.