Children First Association published their report, “Monitoring Language and Cultural Rights: Language as the Key Element of Culture and its Use” with the support of Etkiniz.

Below you can read the executive summary of the report, originally published in Turkish:

This monitoring work was carried out by the Dil ve Kültürler Ağı [Language and Cultures Network] of which Önce Çocuklar Derneği [Children First Association] is a member. The aim of the monitoring work is to reveal the obstacles against the use of native language, which constitutes the key element of culture, to ensure the implementation of international human rights standards implemented in this area and to share the information resulting from the monitoring work with relevant segments of society.
The report on Monitoring Linguistic and Cultural Rights emphasises the importance of language and culture in its introduction. Subsequent headings and information given under them are as follows:

International Law and Language Rights

The report states that language rights are mainly interpreted within cultural or educational rights in international law, and are defined as a human right. In this context, the report refers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the Girona Manifesto on Linguistic Rights as standards of linguistic rights.

The Situation of Language and Cultural Rights of Kurds in Turkey

The report states that although Turkey is a party to multiple agreements in the rights field, it prevents some communities, primarily the Kurdish community in the country, from benefiting from these rights by adding reservations to some articles of these agreements. The report emphasises that Kurds as a linguistic and cultural group are not able to exercise their language rights in the country, which results in many negative consequences at both the individual and the societal levels. It adds that as a result, Kurdish language and culture face extinction. As clearly and elaborately stated in similar agreements or conventions, the report emphasises the necessity for Kurds to possess basic rights to their own language and culture. This part of the report gives examples of problems and rights violations, experienced by people whose native language is Kurdish, resulting from not being able to use their language in public space. For example, when a Kurd who does not speak Turkish goes to the hospital, his/her complaint cannot be diagnosed and treated due to him/her not being able to clearly describe it. Even though this situation appears to be a violation of a minor right to service, it actually means a violation of the right to life of the individual.

The Aim and Framework of Monitoring Language and Cultural Rights

The report emphasises that Kurds should undertake their work in this area to ensure their linguistic and cultural existence and not to face assimilation, and states that monitoring, recording and reporting are needed to accomplish this. The report states that information will be gathered, recorded, and shared with relevant individuals, institutions and with those who are in need of it, and refers to the significance of these actions in the context of Monitoring Linguistic and Cultural Rights. The report emphasises that thus far, monitoring, recording and reporting activities were not regularly carried out, resulting in many actions and work in this field being forgotten or not being recognised, and that the new generation being deprived of them.

Workshop on Kurdish Language and Culture

The report emphasises the importance of umbrella organisations and states that there is a lack of structures which would fill this gap, and would determine solutions, general policies and methods by extensively referring to the Kurdish language and cultural problems. The report states that in an effort to fill this gap, a workshop was organised on November 22nd-23rd 2019 heeding the call of 45 Kurdish intellectuals, a convention was gathered in Diyarbakır on January 11th-12th 2020 with approximately 300 attendees, and an important step was taken in this regard by establishing a secretariat and an advisory committee. The report states that a framework was formed at the convention by determining 12 different themes/boards, in which experts from various regions and cities would extensively evaluate language rights, the relationship between language and national identity, devices and methods of civil studies, problems of Kurdish language and culture arising from internal and external sources and main obstacles to Kurdish language and culture. The report states that the two-day convention emphasised the Situation of Kurdish Linguistic and Cultural Rights in Turkey, and made suggestions regarding the Preservation, Improvement and Use of Kurdish, and that thematic roundtables offered suggestions in their individual areas. The report includes the suggestions emerging from the roundtable discussions.