A/HRC/22/49 legitimate for States to impose some language requirements in order for minorities to fully integrate into society and have access to opportunities for employment, no undue restrictions should be imposed, for example for those who have been long-term residents of a country. Language proficiency should not be the primary criteria for or a barrier to acquisition of citizenship, particularly where official languages have changed. Adequate language-education opportunities should be made available, including for those who may face particular challenges due to such factors as age, income or the locality in which they live. I. Provision of information and services in minority languages 67. If key public information materials are not available in minority languages, minorities can find themselves at a disadvantage and might fail to benefit from essential information and service provision. Those who are not proficient in the national language may face significant challenges as regards access to information. For example, some ethnic and linguistic minorities live in remote regions and do not speak the national language, therefore public information campaigns do not reach them or they cannot understand them. While some may speak national languages, they may not be literate; thus, even where campaigns do physically reach communities, it is important that they be in minority languages. 68. In such crucial areas as health-care information and access, minorities may be placed in a position of disadvantage and vulnerability if information is not provided in their languages. Public information and awareness-raising initiatives relating to such areas as preventative health advice, HIV/AIDS, and maternal health are essential to improving the health outcomes of disadvantaged and poor communities. This information should be available in minority languages and in media accessible to minorities. Initiatives such as the training and employment of minority language mediators can be valuable in delivering information to communities and assisting in their interactions with service providers. 69. As an example of positive practice, the United States Department of Health and Human Services established an Office of Minority Health in 1986 dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities through targeted health programmes. Among its activities is the publication of key health information in numerous minority languages.26 70. Barriers such as language, poverty and poor education often exclude minorities from such roles as medical professionals, teachers and social workers. In areas where linguistic minorities live, the commitments to ensuring rights and service delivery to them may require dedicated training programmes that specifically target minority communities, with the aim of ensuring an adequate supply of key service staff. Minority professionals should be given incentives to remain in minority areas where they can provide vital services in minority languages. Where challenges exist to the recruitment or training of minority professionals, those from majority groups who work in minority regions should be required and given incentives to learn minority languages. Data relating to access to services for minority groups is particularly important, and practices such as the recruitment of minority survey staff should be employed. 71. Some persons belonging to minorities may face particular challenges in learning the national language, including the elderly and those who have not attended education in their country of residence, those with low incomes, the relatively newly arrived, and in some cases women. For them, the ability to engage administrative authorities and receive 26 18 See http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=1&lvlID=7.