A/HRC/43/62 (e) Stress the importance of the inclusion of linguistic minorities and their representatives in policy and decision-making processes affecting them; (f) Emphasize the positive pedagogical and other effects of teaching in the languages of children, as opposed to the negative consequences of not doing so, for many minorities and indigenous children. 5. The recommendations also recognize the important role the United Nations, civil society organizations, representatives of minorities and other stakeholders can have in promoting minority language education. 6. The present recommendations are intended to be implemented in countries across the world in order to assist States to better understand their human rights obligations in relation to education and minorities, and assist them in identifying approaches for the full respect of universal human rights standards. 7. They are also intended to be illustrative or complementary to the general principles on education and language outlined in the “Language rights of linguistic minorities: a practical guide for implementation”, which was published in 2017 by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues.4 II. General recommendations 8. States should ratify, accede to and adhere to all international and regional human rights instruments that protect and promote the rights of minorities, including those pertaining to the rights of minorities to education in, and the teaching of, their languages. 9. States should ensure full implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, in particular, its provision stressing that persons belonging to minorities have the right to, inter alia, use their own language, in private and in public, freely and without interference or any form of discrimination. 10. All States, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil society and other entities working on the rights of minorities should make efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of education in, and the teaching of, the mother tongue, as well as the benefits of multilingualism. 11. States are encouraged to recognize sign language users as members of linguistic minorities and ensure education is provided in sign language for the deaf community where this is practicable. 12. States, national human rights institutions and civil society representatives are encouraged to use the United Nations human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, the universal periodic review, treaty bodies and other appropriate forums, for ensuring access to, education in and the teaching of minority languages. 13. National human rights institutions should take measures to address education in, and the teaching of, minority languages in their respective countries. 14. States should create a safe and enabling environment for civil society representatives working on the human rights of minorities in language matters and monitoring the implementation of States’ obligations towards ensuring access to education in, and the teaching of, minority languages. 15. States are encouraged to increase international and regional cooperation in order to share expertise, knowledge and effective practices for education in, and the teaching of, minority languages. 4 Available at www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Minorities/SR/LanguageRightsLinguistic Minorities_EN.pdf. 3