OBJECTIVE

TALK ABOUT MULTIPLE OF IN THE COAST MANIFESTATIONS DISCRIMINATION POPULATIONS

ATLANTIC

NICARAGUAN IN EDUCATION. EDUCATION.

INTRODUCTION
The Spanish conquest in the 16th century never reached the Atlantic coast. We consider the English pirates as the first visitors who regularly came to the coast. They changed their arms from firearms, knife, tobacco, cotton fabrics, iron pots and other manufacturing by flesh of turtles and other animals, corn and various vegetables, honey, fish, canoe and hammocks.

INTRODUCTION
This situation was determining a certain unit, as well as the need to establish new relations with the English. Later the English established

plantations of sugar and begin the exploitation of wood.

INTRODUCTION
After the conquest of Jamaica, the British brought thousands of black slaves to work on the coast. The treatment of the English with blacks in the Atlantic was as brutal as the Spaniards with the indigenous peoples of the Pacific coast.

Nicaragua

Multiple Manifestations of Discrimination

Country Overview
POPULATION: 5,500,000 POPULATION OF THE CARIBBEAN COAST: 800,000 approx. (15%) approx. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS: Pacific: Pacific: 1. Capital City: Managua 2. Departments Caribbean: Caribbean: 1. North Atlantic Autonomous Region (NAAR) 2. South Atlantic Autonomous Region (SAAR) 6 ETHNIC GROUPS: Inidigenous: Miskitos, Mayagnas, Ramas Inidigenous: Miskitos, Mayagnas, African Descent: Kriol, Garifuna Descent: Kriol, Mestizos LANGUAGES: Miskito, Mayagna, Rama, Garifuna, Spanish and Miskito, Mayagna, Garifuna, English

Youth Setting New Horizons (JENH) JENH was established in March of 1999 and adopted the mission of: of:
Contributing to Youth Empowerment on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua by promoting youth leadership, youth organization and the active and effective participation of youth in the process of development of their communities and regions. regions.

Main Finds
Is Education Free ? 1. The Political Constitution of Nicaragua states that primary education is free, however there are associated costs (transportation, uniforms, text books, teacher charges, etc.) that limit access to education.

Main Finds
Access to Education: 1. There are not sufficient schools to cover the demand of primary education. 33.8% of children education. 33. within the age to attend primary school are not (approx. 108, students). attending (approx. 108,160 students). 2. The Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua represents 15% 15% of the population, but only has 7% of the schools. schools. 3. Gender and cultural factors also limit education for indigenous and afro descendant girls. girls.

Main Finds
Completion: 1. Schools have poor infrastructure and material conditions (leaking roofs, no drinking water, deficient bathrooms, broken windows, insufficient chairs, etc.). 2. Schools in most communities only reach to 3rd grade. Children have to travel to main cities in order to graduate from 6th grade. 3. Students are exposed to physical and verbal abuse by teachers and principals.

Main Finds
Quality: 1. Education is only provided in Spanish. Spanish. 2. Education does not incorporate the history and traditions of indigenous and afro descendant students. students. 3. Computer and internet access is not provided in any public school of the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua. Nicaragua. 4. Education does not provide an immediate benefit to students. students.

Do you really know what racism is?

International Convention against Racial Discrimination CERD: Article 1: any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference, based on race or ethnicity which has the purpose or effect of impairing the recognition and exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any field of public life . . ."

How is Racism Manifested?

Although the Nicaraguan Political Constitution and legal framework establishes and celebrates the equality of all races and ethnic groups before the law, racism in Nicaragua exists and is manifested in a subtle yet equally destructive manner through: 1. Historical Prejudices, 2. through: Invisibility, 3. Discrimination in Public Policy and 4. Discrimination in the Media. Media.

Manifestations
Historical Prejudices toward Indigenous people and people of African descent of the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua are a result of colonization strategies used by the Spanish and British rivals, from the discovery of America until the mid 19th Century. 19th Century.

ENGLISH ENGLISH

SPANISH

MISKITOS, MAYAGNAS, RAMAS MESTIZOS KRIOLS, GARIFUNAS

Pacific
SPANISH
MESTIZOS MISKITOS, MAYAGNAS, RAMAS KRIOLS, GARIFUNAS

Caribbean

ENGLISH ENGLISH

Manifestations
In 1894, when the Mosquito Coast (now the n 1894, hen Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua) was forcibly annexed by the Nicaraguan army with the support of the United States Marines, these prejudices were exacerbated, the rights of the Indigenous people and people of African descent were not recognized and their autonomous forms of government, as well as their economical and social structures were abolished. abolished. Over 100 years later indigenous and afro descendant people are still considered a threat!!!

Manifestations
is understood as the act of erasing from the individual or collective memory any contribution made by the Indigenous and Afro descendant people to the development of Nicaragua. Nicaragua. Indigenous and Afro descendant people are invisible in history books, in art and literature and there are no formal mechanisms or programs to preserve and promote their cultures and traditions. traditions.

Manifestations
A recent research project carried out by JENH titled The Right to a Name, an Identity and a revealed: Nationality revealed: approximately 71% of the population of the 71% Caribbean Coast under the age of 18 is not registered in the local registries, does not have birth certificates or any other type of identification and therefore is not taken into account in public policy making and social development programs. programs.

Manifestations
Discrimination in Public Policy
is expressed in high levels of poverty and unemployment on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua (90%), only 20% of the population has 90% 20% access to potable water in comparison to 70% of 70% the population of the pacific coast, in a time of globalization and technological advancement only 1% of the people of the region have access to internet and telephone communications. communications.

Manifestations
Access to Education: Education: 40% of children that dont attend school 40% responded that they dont have the money for transportation (boats, canoes or horses). horses). 12% responded that they dont attend because of 12% the distance between their homes and schools (up to 5kms in some cases). cases).

NICARAGUA: 8,398 SCHOOLS

Pacific
7,801 schools

Caribbean
587 schools

Manifestations
Although access to education is limited for indigenous and afro descendant youth in general, gender and cultural factors also contribute to marginalization. marginalization.

Indigenous/ Afro descendant

YOUTH

FEMALE

Manifestations
What personal reasons forced you to not attend or drop out of school?
1. I only live with my mother and I have to help her with house chores. chores. My parents thought that the education of my brothers was more important than mine. At least my brothers will be able to mine. obtain a university degree. degree. Because I am an only child, it was my responsability to help my father in our business before I went to school. I often school. arrived late. late.

2.

3.

Manifestations
What problems did you encounter when you were in public school?
1. In my neighborhood the public school was not safe, we did not have a guard and criminals used to come in and out of the school yard as they pleased. A student was stabbed in the school once. 2. The school is in bad condition, the windows are broken, the roof leaks and the chairs are falling apart. Sometimes when its raining a lot, we have to study in a nearby church. 3. Teachers have very little patience and often beat students. Some students have been beaten with rulers, some are forced to kneel on stones and some are forced to cut the trees or clean the school grounds for no reason.

Manifestations

Manifestations

Manifestations
DISCRIMINATION IN THE MEDIA: MEDIA:
PORTRAYED AS CRIMINALS: CRIMINALS: Indigenous people and people of African descent are only visible in the media when political or drug related scandals occur. occur. The media has promoted the false premise that the culture of the people of the Caribbean Coast is based on Delinquency and Drug Trafficking. Trafficking.

Manifestations

Other media exposure, mainly magazines and television soap operas, tend to portray Indigenous people and people of African descent as evil witches, cannibals, voodoo practitioners, overt sexual creatures, as maids or as slaves. slaves.

Manifestations
Finally, the media also tends to ridicule or satanize their cultural celebrations and traditional chants and dances.

Solving the Problem?

Recommendations for Nicaragua 1. Funding for the National Commission against Racism and Discrimination must be allocated in the National Budget. Budget. 2. As recommended by UNESCO, Nicaragua must allocate at least 7% of the budget to pre-school, preprimary, secondary and technical education. education. 3. All costs related with pre-school and primary preeducation should be free, this includes: includes: transportation, text books, uniforms, teacher charges, etc. etc.

Solving the Problem?

Recommendations for Nicaragua 4. The recently approved General Education Law that states: Education on the Caribbean Coast states: of Nicaragua must be imparted in accordance with the history, culture and languages of indigenous and afro descendant peoples, must be effectively implemented. implemented. 5. The media must be required to abide by a code of conduct designed to prevent discrimination toward indigenous and afro descendant people. people.

Solving the Problem?

Youth Actions: Actions: 1. Carry out talk tours and radio debates to educate community youth about the various manifestations of racism in Nicaragua and how to combat them. them. 2. Continue conducting youth surveys to address discrimination in education, as well as other sectors. sectors. 3. Establish an International Youth Forum to facilitate the exchanging of information and best practices against racism. racism.

Solving the Problem?

Youth Actions: 4. Lobby for adequate implementation General Education Law. Law. of the

5. Lobby for the correction of official demographic numbers related to indigenous and afro descendant people and for the correct implementation of the National Census on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua. Nicaragua.

THANKS EXTRA POINTS