This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information ahead of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August 2019.
Indigenous Languages: Are They in Danger? (231 KB , PDF)
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is marked on 9 August every year. This date commemorates the inaugural session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations at the United Nations (UN) in 1982. As part of the International Day, the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues organises an event each year that brings together relevant stakeholders such as UN member states and agencies; indigenous peoples’ organisations; and civil society groups. In 2019, the theme is “indigenous languages”, focusing on the current situation of indigenous languages around the world. The theme coincides with the UN General Assembly designating 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
Indigenous Languages: Are They in Danger? (231 KB , PDF)
The European Convention on Human Rights was signed by the members of the Council of Europe, including the UK, in Rome in 1950. The UK was one of the first states to ratify it in 1951 and it is now incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK government has recently restated its unequivocal commitment to the convention.
The crown court backlog reached a record high of 73,105 cases in September 2024. The impact on victims, witnesses and defendants has been significant as they wait longer for their cases to be resolved. The government commissioned an independent review of criminal courts that will produce reform recommendations to address crown court pressures. Whilst stakeholders have welcomed the review, some have called for more immediate action to reduce the backlog.
Iranian authorities have detained British and dual nationals on various charges in recent years, including espionage. The exact number of those detained is not published because some choose to avoid publicity. UN human rights experts have referred to “systemic arbitrary detention” in Iran. The Labour government plans to support British nationals detained overseas by creating a special envoy for complex detention cases and ensuring a legal right to consular assistance.
