=== modified file 'share/extensions/new_glyph_layer.py'
--- share/extensions/new_glyph_layer.py	2011-11-21 20:58:06 +0000
+++ share/extensions/new_glyph_layer.py	2016-02-13 18:43:47 +0000
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 import inkex
 import sys
+import locale
+
 
 class NewGlyphLayer(inkex.Effect):
 	def __init__(self):
@@ -27,10 +29,13 @@
 						action="store", type="string",
 						dest="unicodechars", default='',
 						help="Unicode chars")
+		self.encoding = sys.stdin.encoding
+		if self.encoding == 'cp0' or self.encoding is None:
+			self.encoding = locale.getpreferredencoding()
 
 	def effect(self):
 		# Get all the options
-		unicode_chars = self.options.unicodechars
+		unicode_chars = self.options.unicodechars.decode(self.encoding)
 
 		#TODO: remove duplicate chars
 
@@ -40,7 +45,7 @@
 		for char in unicode_chars:
 			# Create a new layer.
 			layer = inkex.etree.SubElement(svg, 'g')
-			layer.set(inkex.addNS('label', 'inkscape'), 'GlyphLayer-'+char)
+			layer.set(inkex.addNS('label', 'inkscape'), u'GlyphLayer-'+char)
 			layer.set(inkex.addNS('groupmode', 'inkscape'), 'layer')
 			layer.set('style', 'display:none') #initially not visible