Sector: Governance and Public Sector Reform
Region: South Asia
Funded by:
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Total Value: C$5,600,000
Partners and Counterparts:
Implementing Partners:Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute of the University of Ottawa
The Asia Foundation, Sri Lanka
Counterparts: Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration (MNLSI)
Sri Lanka, National Languages Project: February 2010–May 2015
Project Description
The National Languages Project was designed to respond to Sri Lanka’s need to enhance relations between Sinhala and Tamil speaking citizens through increasing respect for language rights and linguistic diversity and fostering social cohesion. The project is a catalyst for the successful evolution of language planning and language rights in Sri Lanka to ensure that citizens have access to public information and services in the official language of their choice and that both Sinhala and Tamil are equally respected and appreciated as the national and official languages of the country. The project’s ultimate outcome is increased respect for language diversity and language rights within the public service and among the citizenry.
The intermediate outcomes are:
•Enhanced public sector leadership of national languages policies and programs.
•Increased citizens’ access to public communications and services in national language of choice.
The project is implemented using a capacity building approach and is articulated around 4 major components:
Component 1: Strengthening the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration (MNSLI): Activities within this component of the project are designed to increased capacity, including capacity for gender mainstreaming, of the MNLSI to plan, manage and monitor implementation of Official Languages Policy and other policies and programs related to their mandate. Support to the MNLSI is provided to the National Languages Division, the Department of Official Languages, the Official Languages Commission and the National Institute for Language Education and Training.
Component 2: Public Engagement: Activities within this component of the project are designed to increase awareness about, and support for, language rights, bilingualism and linguistic diversity among the public that influences policy makers. Support is provided to civil society organizations that are undertaking initiatives to promote, support and advocate for language rights, bilingualism / trilingualism and social cohesion and that strengthen government-civil society cooperation.
Component 3: Translation and Interpreting Services: Activities within this component of the project are designed to enhance delivery of translation and interpretation services and translator and interpreter training programs. Support is provided to both government mechanisms and academic institutions.
Component 4: Innovative Models of Local Service Delivery: Activities within this component of the project are designed to develop innovative models of good practice in language policy implementation and promotion of language rights and social cohesion at the community level. Communities are selected from a variety of districts where there is a significant population of both Sinhala and Tamil speaking people. Support is provided to central government and local government institutions as well as local non-governmental organizations and community groups.
Project Director
Alix Yule
ayule@agriteam.ca