Promoting and Protecting Minority Languages in Zimbabwe: Use of the 1992 UN Minorities Declaration

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cowen Dziva ◽  
Brian Dube

Zimbabwe in 2012 joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the unanimously adopted United Nations Declaration for Minorities in 1992, as the main document granting non-dominant groups protection by states in all spheres of life. For most African states, Zimbabwe included, the Declaration came amidst ubiquitous marginalisation and disavowal of minority languages in favour of foreign and dominant tongues. Unsurprisingly, Article 4(3(4) of the Declaration sought to obviate this status quo through calling on states to ensure that minorities learn and use their mother languages for development. Ever since the Declaration, the use of minority languages in public spheres has become a hotly debated subject in democratic societies, with many linguists deciphering minority languages to be one of the missing links to Africa’s development. The aim of this article is, therefore, to encapsulates the good practices by Zimbabwean stakeholders and prospects in implementing minority languages. After scrutinising national policies and efforts to advance minority languages, it can be seen that though discernible it is still a long way for Zimbabwe to close the gap on the ideals of the 1992 Declaration. As such, Zimbabwe is propelled to move beyond mere ratification and take concrete steps towards implementation through translating national documents into minority tongues, revamping the education curriculum, public awareness campaigns on the Declaration, training lexicographers, minority sensitive budgeting and constitutionalism if they are to fulfil their obligations under the Declaration.

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel A Barboza ◽  
Cinthya Agüero ◽  
Paola Bastos ◽  
Huberth Fernández

Introduction: early recognition of stroke signs lead to a better opportunity for acute management, to decrease morbidity and mortality impact. Public awareness campaigns have been developed with English language acronyms for recognition of these signs, but language and cultural differences should be taken into account for these educational strategies. Hypothesis: we assessed the hypothesis that there is a need for a validated tool for Spanish speaking population for early recognition of stroke warning signs. Material and methods: a 12-item electronic and paper-based survey for non-health related professionals evaluated the knowledge of early stroke signs in a Costa Rican sample. Using data from the FAST acronym, we developed a Spanish based acronym focused on the 3 most common symptoms, which was evaluated with medical professionals and non-medical population for clarity of message and informative content through a 10-item survey. Results: 706 non-medical professional subjects answered the evaluation survey (56.7% female, median age 33 years [IQR 24-43 years]), with 76.2% answering that they were not capable of diagnose an acute stroke, and 97.2% considering the necessity of develop an educational campaign for acute stroke signs recognition. CAMALEON acronym (CAra [face], MAno/brazo [hand/arm], LEnguaje [language] and teléfONo [telephone]) was created adapting FAST acronym to Spanish. 25 medical professionals evaluated the medical content of the Spanish acronym (based on an educational video) with a 95% of acceptance of its content to explain medical symptoms; also 91% of 100 non-medical subjects were able to recognize adequately the symptoms after viewing the video material. This academic initiative is endorsed by the World Stroke Academy from the World Stroke Organization. Conclusion: CAMALEON strategy is an adequate acronym for early recognition of acute stroke signs for Spanish speaking countries that should be validated in stroke awareness campaigns.


1979 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 9-10
Author(s):  
Mehr Kamal

Anniversaries provide a convenient time to stop and look back on the event they commemorate, a time to take stock of what has been achieved and assess what remains to be done. November 20, 1979, will mark the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This year – the International Year of the Child – is particularly suited to this type of instrospection. IYC has put the spotlight on the situation of children all over the world and provided an impetus for child-related research. Drawing upon some of the statistics available, let us measure the rights the United Nations affirmed for children 20 years ago against the reality of their lives today.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samea Khan ◽  
Usman Shah Gilani ◽  
Syed Muhammad Muslim Raza ◽  
Tanveer Hussain

AbstractEnd of the year 2019 marks an unprecedented outbreak of a pandemic named COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2. It was first discovered in China and later spread to the whole world, currently inflicting almost 200 countries. After China, few other countries have emerged as potential epicenters of this disease including the US, Italy, Spain and Pakistan, as indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Since proper preventive and curative measures in the form of a vaccine or medication are currently unavailable throughout the world, the only remedy devised to stop the spread of this virus is self-isolation. Such a measure necessitates ample awareness and understanding among people to avoid actions that lead to the spread of this virus. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country in the world (212.2 million) and has a record of contagious outbreaks in the past. Therefore, it is key to evaluate the general understanding regarding the cause, spread and control of this disease in Pakistani population and acquire data to anticipate the possible spread and persistence of this disease to design relevant preventive measures. We have attempted to collect such data from professionals who are susceptible to acquiring the infection due to an unavoidable exposure. Keeping in view the current lock down, we have relied on an internet based collection of data by filling a self-designed questionnaire that is responded to by 1132. Descriptive and Frequency Analysis were performed on the responses received using MS Excel and SPSS software. A total of 1132 individuals responded to the questionnaire among which include academic (45.8%), non-academic (20.8%), healthcare (7.8%), security (5.9%) and other (19.7%) professionals. The questionnaire addressed the level of basic information regarding the cause, spread, cure and prevention of this disease among professionals, in an attempt to provide directions for awareness campaigns at different levels in Pakistan and provide a model for similar outbreaks in the future.To our expectations, almost after a month of the coronavirus outbreak in Pakistan, above 50% to up to 90% of the recorded responses against every question showed ample understanding regarding the cause, spread and control of the disease which is an indicator of effective public awareness campaigns throughout the country largely based on media drive.


Author(s):  
Tanveer Hussain ◽  
Samea Khan ◽  
Usman Shah Gilani ◽  
Syed Muhammad Muslim Raza

Abstract End of the year 2019 marks an unprecedented outbreak of a pandemic named COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2. It was initiated in China and later spread to the whole world, currently inflicting almost 200 countries. After China, few other countries have emerged as potential epicenters of this disease including the US, Italy, Spain and Pakistan, as indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Since proper preventive and curative measures in the form of a vaccine or medication are currently unavailable throughout the world, the only remedy devised to stop the spread of this virus is self-isolation. Such a measure necessitates ample awareness and understanding among people to avoid actions that lead to the spread of this virus. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country in the world (212.2 million) and has a record of contagious outbreaks in the past. Therefore, it is key to evaluate the general understanding regarding the cause, spread and control of this disease in Pakistani population and acquire data to anticipate the possible spread and persistence of this disease to design relevant preventive measures. We have attempted to collect such data from professionals who are susceptible to acquiring the infection due to an unavoidable exposure. Keeping in view the current lock down, we have relied on an internet based collection of data by filling a self-designed questionnaire that is responded to by 1132. Descriptive and Frequency Analysis were performed on the responses received using MS Excel and SPSS software. To our expectations, almost after a month of the coronavirus outbreak in Pakistan, above 50% to up to 90% of the recorded responses against every question showed ample understanding regarding the cause, spread and control of the disease which is an indicator of effective public awareness campaigns throughout the country largely based on media drive.All authors contributed equally to this work.


Author(s):  
Karwadi Karwadi ◽  
Aninditya Sri Nugraheni ◽  
Shindy Lestari

Education must be returned to its original khittah, that is, to humanize man with all the potential he has. In this framework, important efforts in the of Islamic liberation must be the spirit and foundation of ontological, epistemological as well as axiological education. Among the contemporary Islamic thoughts that give awareness that Islam has the power of liberation is the Asghar Ali Engineer which is derived primarily from the Qur'an and Sunnah. This finding can interpret the doctrine of Islam as a religion of liberation in education that weighs from the thoughts of Asghar Ali Engineer who has relevance and urgency. The results of this study explain about alternative solutions to the problems Islamic education in the era of globalization, namely: 1) greater attention to the reality of living in the world, can be used as a foundation for compiling the Islamic education curriculum. 2) Fight against the pro status quo. Islamic education should be based on the spirit of respecting humans as beings thinking, conscious, potentially and equipped with the right to determine their own life choices. 3) Side with marginalized communities and encourage them to actively participate. 4) Liberation theology emphasizes on the problem of praxis rather than on abstract-speculative thoughts. So that the nuances of Islamic education are quite felt is the pressure on the rational, intellectual, ethical aspects, very few that enter the applied area, skills or technology as one of the meanings that can be taken from the spirit of Islamic liberation theology.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Kosaki ◽  
Rattan Lal ◽  
Laura Bertha Reyes Sánchez

<p>Soil education is one of the major topics to be enhanced and promoted in the International Decade of Soils 2015-2024 (IDS) project of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS). The book entitled above has been just published by the IUSS to provide readers, who are interested in soils, geosciences, environment, ecosystems, art, etc. and may be teaching in schools at elementary through university levels, working at museums, educational or extension organizations and serving for NPOs, NGOs, etc., with basic framework of soil and soil science education and a collection of good practices currently employed, so that the readers could learn and share with whatever suited to their own condition efficiently.<br>The book consists of three parts, i.e. framing soil science education, good practices in soil education and future of soil and soil science education. The first part gives tenets and framework of soil education in pre and primary school, under- and post-graduate students and the general public or citizen. The second includes practical methods for soil and soil science education from all over the world, i.e. 1 from Africa, 3 from Asia, 3 from Europe, 2 from North America, 5 from South America and 2 from Oceania, which have been evaluated useful, efficient and promising in their own environments and situations. The final part is devoted for discussing the challenges and future of soil and soil science education. <br>The IUSS is planning to distribute the above publication to a variety of societies so that the current contents and methods and the systems of soil and soil science education be criticized for further improvement towards promoting and enhancing research, education and public awareness of soils as one of the disciplines of geo- and bio-sciences in the future.</p><p> </p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shakirudeen Odunuga ◽  
Samuel Udofia ◽  
Opeyemi Esther Osho ◽  
Olubunmi Adegun

Introduction:Human activities exert great pressures on the environment which in turn cause environmental stresses of various intensities depending on the factors involved and the sensitivity of the receiving environment.Objective:This study examines the effects of anthropogenic activities along the sub-urban lagoon fragile coastal ecosystem using DPSIR framework.Results:The results show that the study area has undergone a tremendous change between 1964 and 2015 with the built up area increasing to about 1,080 ha (17.87%) in 2015 from 224 ha (1.32%) in 1964 at an average growth rate of 16.78ha per annum. The nature of the degradation includes an increasing fragility of the ecosystem through the emergence and expansion of wetlands, flooding and erosion as well as a reduction in the benefits from the ecosystem services. Population growth, between 2006 and 2015 for Ikorodu LGA, estimated at 8.84% per annum serves as the most important driving force in reducing the quality of the environment. This is in addition to Pressures emanating from anthropogenic activities. The state of the environment shows continuous resource exploitation (fishing and sand mining) with the impacts of the pressures coming from water pollution, bank erosion, biodiversity loss and flooding. Although there has been a strong policy formulation response from the government, weak implementation is a major challenge.Recommendation:The study recommends public awareness campaigns and the implementation of existing policies to ensure a sustainable sub-urban lagoon coastal environment..


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh Rangwani

Despite substantial improvements over the past 23 years in many key areas of sustainable development, the world is not on track to achieve the goals as aspired to in Agenda 21, adopted in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and reiterated in subsequent world conferences, such as the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002. While there have been some achievements in implementing Agenda 21, including the implementation of the chapters on “Science for Sustainable Development” and on “Promoting Education, Public Awareness and Training”, for which UNESCO was designated as the lead agency, much still remains to be done. This decade had seen the idea of a “green economy” float out of its specialist moorings in environmental economics and into the mainstream of policy discourse. It is found increasingly in the words of heads of state and finance ministers, in the text of G20 communiqués, and discussed in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. The research paper focused to establish a relationship between sustainable development and green economics. The research paper is descriptive and analytical in nature. The data collected from secondary sources such as report from niti aayog, IMF indicators, RBI reports, newspapers, journals. The research design was adopted to have greater accuracy and in depth analysis of the research study. The statistical tools for the analysis are also being used.


Author(s):  
Neil E. Williams

Systematic metaphysics is defined by its task of solving metaphysical problems through the repeated application of a single, fundamental ontology. The dominant contemporary metaphysic is that of neo-Humeanism, built on a static ontology typified by its rejection of basic causal and modal features. This book offers and develops a radically distinct metaphysic, one that turns the status quo on its head. Starting with a foundational ontology of inherently causal properties known as ‘powers’, a metaphysic is developed that appeals to powers in explanations of causation, persistence, laws, and modality. Powers are properties that have their causal natures internal to them: they are responsible for the effects in the world. A unique account of powers is developed that understands this internal nature in terms of a blueprint of potential interaction types. After the presentation of the powers ontology, it is put to work in offering solutions to broad metaphysical puzzles, some of which take on different forms in light of the new tools that are available. The defence of the ontology comes from the virtues of metaphysic it can be used to develop. Particular attention is paid to the problems of causation and persistence, simultaneously solving them as it casts them in a new light. The resultant powers metaphysic is offered as a systematic alternative to neo-Humeanism.


2020 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2020-002304
Author(s):  
Judith Rietjens ◽  
Ida Korfage ◽  
Mark Taubert

ObjectivesThere is increased global focus on advance care planning (ACP) with attention from policymakers, more education programmes, laws and public awareness campaigns.MethodsWe provide a summary of the evidence about what ACP is, and how it should be conducted. We also address its barriers and facilitators and discuss current and future models of ACP, including a wider look at how to best integrate those who have diminished decisional capacity.ResultsDifferent models are analysed, including new work in Wales (future care planning which includes best interest decision-making for those without decisional capacity), Asia and in people with dementia.ConclusionsACP practices are evolving. While ACP is a joint responsibility of patients, relatives and healthcare professionals, more clarity on how to apply best ACP practices to include people with diminished capacity will further improve patient-centred care.


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