E/CN.4/2005/88 page 12 39. The exclusion and discrimination suffered by indigenous girls has serious consequences for society. The lack of access can contribute to high rates of infant and maternal mortality, fertility and malnutrition, indicators that are closely associated with women’s level of education. This is compounded in some African countries by the practice of female genital mutilation, which also penalizes girls of school age and seriously undermines the realization of the most fundamental principles and values associated with the right to life and human dignity. 40. In addition to disadvantages and discrimination related to access, the quality of education is another fundamental aspect that determines and affects the exercise of indigenous peoples’ right to education and is of concern to indigenous communities. All too often education systems are designed to develop conformity with national ideals, without taking into consideration the cultural and linguistic differences of indigenous peoples. C. High-quality and culturally appropriate indigenous education 41. Discrimination in education is primarily reflected in the tendency to use school as a preferred means of assimilating indigenous peoples in the cultural model of the majority or dominant society. School curricula are generally designed for urban children and thus have little relevance to indigenous environments. Indeed, for years the very goal of indigenous education in many countries was to “civilize” indigenous children by teaching them the language, culture and knowledge of the dominant group, which after the colonial era was that of the hegemonic nationality. State-sponsored education or education provided by various missionary groups operated to that end. Whole generations of indigenous children passed through such schools in which they were subjected to linguistic, religious and cultural discrimination. 42. It is clear that such education has been largely successful, since over the years the dominant or hegemonic society succeeded in assimilating large segments of the indigenous population through public or missionary schools. At the same time, such education has served to accelerate the transformation and ultimate disappearance of indigenous cultures, and over time a great many indigenous languages have continued to vanish. In this connection, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, in its general recommendation No. 23, on the rights of indigenous peoples, called upon States to ensure that members of indigenous peoples are free and equal in dignity and rights and free from any discrimination. 43. A particularly notorious phenomenon in this regard has been the existence of boarding schools for indigenous students. In many cases these institutions played an important role in ensuring access to and continued attendance at school while also providing, where necessary, food and health-care services, especially when the population was scattered and communication was difficult. On the other hand, in many places such institutions were relentless in their efforts to separate whole generations of indigenous students from their cultural roots and, very often, their families, doing irreparable harm to the survival of indigenous cultures and societies. A particularly striking case is the Residential Schools of Canada, which for many years were designed to thwart the continuation of the cultures of the First Nations. In many cases these schools were also the scene of physical, sexual and psychological abuse of indigenous students. The Federal Government of Canada has set up a programme to award compensation with a view to making reparation for the injustice done (see E/CN.4/2005/88/Add.3).