WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly provide for the right to education in their own language for linguistic minorities?

Right to education in their own language means that the constitution includes explicit provisions for students who are part of linguistic minorities to learn in their own language.

Explicitly denied means the constitution explicitly restricts the provision of education in minority languages.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention the right to education in their own language for linguistic minorities. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it.

Aspirational provision means that the constitution protects the right to education in their own language for linguistic minorities but does not use language strong enough to be considered a guarantee. For example, constitutions in this category might state that the country aims to promote education in minority languages.

Guaranteed for at least some minority groups means that the constitution protects the right to education in their own language for at least certain minority groups in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee citizens’ who are national minorities the right to receive instruction in their native language or make it the State’s responsibility to ensure this right.

Countries

Panama - Explicitly denied

South Sudan - Explicitly denied

Türkiye - Explicitly denied

Afghanistan - No specific provision

Algeria - No specific provision

Andorra - No specific provision

Angola - No specific provision

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Armenia - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bahrain - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Belgium - No specific provision

Belize - No specific provision

Benin - No specific provision

Bhutan - No specific provision

Bosnia and Herzegovina - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Burkina Faso - No specific provision

Burundi - No specific provision

Cambodia - No specific provision

Cameroon - No specific provision

Cabo Verde - No specific provision

Central African Republic - No specific provision

Chad - No specific provision

Chile - No specific provision

China - No specific provision

Comoros - No specific provision

Democratic Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Costa Rica - No specific provision

Cote d'Ivoire - No specific provision

Croatia - No specific provision

Cuba - No specific provision

Cyprus - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Dominican Republic - No specific provision

Egypt - No specific provision

El Salvador - No specific provision

Equatorial Guinea - No specific provision

Eritrea - No specific provision

Ethiopia - No specific provision

Fiji - No specific provision

Finland - No specific provision

France - No specific provision

Gabon - No specific provision

The Gambia - No specific provision

Georgia - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Ghana - No specific provision

Greece - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Guinea - No specific provision

Guinea-Bissau - No specific provision

Guyana - No specific provision

Haiti - No specific provision

Honduras - No specific provision

Iceland - No specific provision

Indonesia - No specific provision

Iran - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Italy - No specific provision

Jamaica - No specific provision

Japan - No specific provision

Jordan - No specific provision

Kenya - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - No specific provision

Republic of Korea - No specific provision

Kuwait - No specific provision

Kyrgyzstan - No specific provision

Laos - No specific provision

Latvia - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Lesotho - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Libya - No specific provision

Liechtenstein - No specific provision

Lithuania - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

Madagascar - No specific provision

Malawi - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Maldives - No specific provision

Mali - No specific provision

Malta - No specific provision

Marshall Islands - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Micronesia, Federated States of - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Morocco - No specific provision

Mozambique - No specific provision

Myanmar - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

The Netherlands - No specific provision

New Zealand - No specific provision

Niger - No specific provision

Nigeria - No specific provision

Norway - No specific provision

Oman - No specific provision

Pakistan - No specific provision

Palau - No specific provision

Papua New Guinea - No specific provision

The Philippines - No specific provision

Poland - No specific provision

Portugal - No specific provision

Qatar - No specific provision

Rwanda - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

San Marino - No specific provision

Sao Tome and Principe - No specific provision

Saudi Arabia - No specific provision

Seychelles - No specific provision

Sierra Leone - No specific provision

Singapore - No specific provision

Solomon Islands - No specific provision

Somalia - No specific provision

Spain - No specific provision

St. Kitts and Nevis - No specific provision

St. Lucia - No specific provision

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No specific provision

Sudan - No specific provision

Suriname - No specific provision

Eswatini - No specific provision

Sweden - No specific provision

Switzerland - No specific provision

Syria - No specific provision

Tajikistan - No specific provision

Tanzania - No specific provision

Thailand - No specific provision

Timor-Leste - No specific provision

Togo - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Tunisia - No specific provision

Turkmenistan - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

United Arab Emirates - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Uruguay - No specific provision

Uzbekistan - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Vietnam - No specific provision

Yemen - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Zimbabwe - No specific provision

Mexico - Aspirational provision

Peru - Aspirational provision

Senegal - Aspirational provision

Albania - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Argentina - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Austria - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Belarus - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Bolivia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Brazil - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Bulgaria - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Canada - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Colombia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Czech Republic - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Ecuador - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Estonia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Guatemala - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Hungary - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

India - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Iraq - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

North Macedonia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Moldova - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Mongolia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Montenegro - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Namibia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Nepal - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Nicaragua - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Paraguay - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Romania - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Russian Federation - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Serbia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Slovakia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Slovenia - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

South Africa - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Sri Lanka - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Uganda - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Ukraine - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups

Venezuela - Guaranteed for at least some minority groups