A/HRC/30/54
90.
In collaboration with non-governmental organizations, Burundi had developed
agropastoral and various self-development projects with the Batwa to increase revenue and
to meet the needs of Batwa people beyond food.
91.
The Saami Parliament of Finland indicated that the Parliament of Finland had
provisions on the obligation to hear the Saami people in its rules of procedure. According to
those rules, a committee considering a Government bill or other issue concerning the Saami
people in particular must reserve the right for representatives of the Saami people to be
heard by the committee. However, that provision did not require the committee to take
account of proposals made by the Saami Parliament.
J.
Raising awareness about the Declaration
92.
The questionnaire posed the following question to States: “Has the State taken
measures to raise awareness about the Declaration among various sectors of society,
including Parliamentarians, the judiciary, the civil service, and indigenous peoples?”
93.
In the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, States
committed themselves to promoting awareness of the Declaration among all sectors of the
society, including members of the legislatures, the judiciary and the civil service (General
Assembly resolution 69/2, para. 7).
94.
Several States indicated that they had developed resources such as training manuals
and held training workshops on the Declaration. Australia’s National Human Rights
Commission had produced reports and developed resources to help Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples understand and protect their rights. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Social Justice Commissioner, in collaboration with the National Congress of
Australia’s First Peoples held “Declaration Dialogue” meetings in 2013 and 2014 with
indigenous communities throughout Australia to raise awareness of the Declaration.
95.
Denmark and the Government of Greenland reported on the translation into
Greenlandic and publication of several international human rights instruments, including
the Declaration and ILO Convention No. 169. The Parliament of Greenland endorsed the
Declaration at an early stage and called for enhanced efforts to disseminate it to the public
and through educational facilities.
96.
Paraguay had taken action to inform legislators, lawyers, judges and administrative
authorities on promoting the rights of indigenous peoples with an emphasis on the
Declaration. In cooperation with the Federation for the Self-Determination of Indigenous
Peoples, Paraguay had developed a manual on indigenous rights and human rights,
published with the support of the United Nations Development Programme. In 2013, the
Justice and Indigenous Peoples project provided technical assistance to the judicial officials
on human rights doctrine and its applicability in the administration of justice. Indigenous
peoples had participated in the process of developing the materials and providing
information on their customs.
97.
Guatemala had several programmes to increase understanding of civil servants,
public institutions and civil society regarding indigenous peoples’ rights. These included a
postgraduate programme on human rights, the rights of indigenous peoples, racism and
racial discrimination, aimed at judicial officers, especially in the judicial branch and the
Institute of Public Criminal Defense. There was also a diploma course on human rights,
racism and discrimination aimed at civil servants from different institutions of the executive
branch and young members of civil society.
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