Participants attached great importance to legislative recognition and guarantee of education in and the use of mother tongue. Regional cooperation for education in, and the teaching of, minority languages was valued, alongside the important role of national human rights institutions and civil society. Participants also noted the role of designing national programmes of minority language education, and inclusion of civil society representatives in the design of such programmes. The importance of textbooks in minority languages, teachers who are bilingual in minority and State language, as well as allocation of sufficient funds to education in, and the teaching of, minority languages were highlighted as important factors mentioned to ensure effective practices. Item V. Language, education and the empowerment of minority women and girls The session discussed the impact of minority language education on access to education and opportunities for minority women and girls, who often face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion and language, and thus are disproportionately affected by barriers to education, and school dropout rates among them are disproportionately high. The session addressed the positive impact of education in, and the teaching of, their languages on education and learning opportunities for minority women and girls. The session considered language as an important tool for ensuring the realization of basic human rights and the accessibility of services, including health-care and social services, which in some cases can be particularly vital for women and girls. The session also discussed the importance of the inclusion and effective participation of minority women and girls in the design of policies and strategies relating to education in, and the teaching of, their languages. The panel was moderated by Aliona Grossu, Member of the Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Presentations were made by Nouha Grine, President of Tamount Association for Amazigh Rights; Elżbieta Kuzborska-Pacha, Legal Advisor to OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; and Puja Kapai Paryani, Associate Professor and Convenor of Women’s Studies Research Centre at the University of Hong Kong. The panellists highlighted that empowerment of women and achieving gender equality is essential for ensuring sustainable development for our societies. In this regard, they attached high importance to ending discrimination against women and providing equal opportunities for education and employment. They mentioned that education is globally acknowledged as the most powerful means of empowering girls that can transform and even save their lives. It was pointed out that minority women and girls are often facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion, language, poverty and harmful traditional practices, which are some of the factors that impede getting an education. Because of marginalization and exclusion, minority women are more affected by barriers to education such as the lack of recognition of the mother tongue, difficulties in access to schools and 8