A permanent forum for indigenous people in the United Nations System.

The Commission on Human Rights,

Recalling the recommendations pertaining to indigenous people included in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights (A/CONF.157/23), in particular the recommendation that the establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous people in the United Nations system should be considered in the framework of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People,

Noting the holding of two United Nations workshops on the subject matter, in Copenhagen in June 1995 and in Santiago in June/July 1997, as well as a series of indigenous peoples' conferences on a permanent forum in 1997, 1998 and 1999,

Recognizing the growing interest and concern for indigenous issues in organizations and departments of the United Nations system, as documented in the report of the Secretary-General on the review of the existing mechanisms, procedures and programmes within the United Nations concerning indigenous people (A/51/493), and noting the need to ensure coordination and regular exchange of information among the concerned and interested parties -Governments, the United Nations and indigenous people - on an ongoing basis,

Bearing in mind its resolutions 1994/28 of 4 March 1994, 1995/30 of 3 March 1995, 1996/41 of 19 April 1996, 1997/30 of 11 April 1997 and 1998/20 of 9 April 1998, as well as General Assembly resolutions 49/214 of 23 December 1994, 50/157 of 21 December 1995, 51/78 of 12 December 1996, 52/108 of 12 December 1997 and 53/129 and 53/130 of 9 December 1998,

1. Notes that the General Assembly, in its resolution 53/129, reaffirmed among the objectives of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People the consideration of the establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous people in the United Nations system, and urged Governments to participate actively in the open-ended inter-sessional ad hoc working group established by the Commission on Human Rights in resolution 1998/20;

2. Welcomes the report of the ad hoc working group (E/CN.4/1999/83) which met for five working days in Geneva from 15 to 19 February 1999 to elaborate and consider further proposals for the possible establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous people within the United Nations system;

3. Takes note of the constructive debate and dialogue which took place during the session of the ad hoc working group, indicating a trend towards possible consensus with regard to the various aspects of the subject matter;

4. Decides to re-establish the open-ended inter-sessional ad hoc working group established in accordance with resolution 1998/20 to meet for eight working days prior to the fifty-sixth session of the Commission on Human Rights, and requests the working group to submit, with a view to completing its task, one or more concrete proposals on the establishment of a permanent forum for consideration by the Commission at that session;

5. Invites the Chairman-Rapporteur of the open-ended ad hoc working group to submit a working paper to Member States and other participants in the ad hoc working group containing suggestions and possible alternatives on all aspects of this matter, based on the result of the debate of the previous session and further informal consultations, in preparation for the next session of the ad hoc working group;

6. Urges Governments, United Nations organizations and bodies, specialized agencies, organizations representing indigenous people and the Working Group on Indigenous Populations to consider this issue further and to express their views in preparation for the next meeting, and requests the Secretary-General to transmit the report of the ad hoc working group to Governments, United Nations organizations and bodies, specialized agencies, organizations representing indigenous people and the Working Group on Indigenous Populations and to invite their comments in time for circulation prior to the next session of the ad hoc working group;

7. Requests the ad hoc working group to take into account in its work any comments received from Governments, United Nations organizations and bodies, specialized agencies, organizations representing indigenous people and the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, as well as such ideas as the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in her role as Coordinator for the Decade, may wish to present to the ad hoc working group;

8. Decides to continue its consideration of this matter at its fifty-sixth session under the same agenda item.

56^th meeting
27 April 1999

[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XV.]