No developments observed this year.

Government Agreement No. 22-2004 expanded bilingual education.¹

Legislative Decree No. 19-2003 established the National Languages Act, which was intended to promote the provision of bilingual public services. Government Agreement No. 526-2003 established the Vice-Ministry for Bilingual Intercultural Education.²

No developments observed this year.

No developments observed this year.

No developments observed this year.

The referendum for the full package of constitutional amendments occurred on 16 May 1999. With low turnout, voters denied the proposed amendments related to the redefinition of the nation and the formal recognition of indigenous peoples—including adding indigenous languages to Spanish as official languages of the country—along with all other proposed amendments. While this vote prevented the complete fulfillment of many components of the peace agreements, the parties to the agreements for their part showed good faith by drafting, submitting and approving the reforms. As provisions for improved rights and protections for indigenous peoples were featured prominently in the referendum, this outcome indicated that the country was far from reconciled after the formal end of the civil war.³

The Academy of Mayan Languages of Guatemala picked up the work of advocating to make indigenous languages official.⁴

In March 1998, the Commission for the Officialization of Indigenous Languages presented a plan to recognize territorial, community and special languages at the regional level in all service sectors. These proposals were incorporated into the draft constitutional reforms and the Commission dissolved.¹

The Government established the Commission for the Officialization of Indigenous Languages in April 1997.¹

No new developments reported in 2006. Nevertheless, the government continued its effort to bring down illiteracy rate. This led to the establishment of institutional mechanisms to promote and expand bilingual education and multiculturalism suggest that the provisions related to education were implemented to some extent. However, according to the State Department Human Rights Report, more than 50 percent of indigenous women were illiterate and a disproportionate number of indigenous girls did not attend school. The report, quoting the Guatemalan Ministry of Education, states that 78,692 preschool- and kindergarten-age indigenous children were enrolled in Spanish-indigenous language bilingual education programs.⁵