A/RES/56/140 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People; 3 2. Affirms its conviction of the value and diversity of the cultures and forms of social organization of indigenous people and its conviction that the development of indigenous people within their countries will contribute to the socio-economic, cultural and environmental advancement of all the countries of the world; 3. Emphasizes the importance of strengthening the human and institutional capacity of indigenous people to develop their own solutions to their problems; 4. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as coordinator for the Decade: (a) To continue to promote the objectives of the Decade, taking into account, in the fulfilment of her functions, the special concerns of indigenous people; (b) To give due regard to the dissemination, from within existing resources and voluntary contributions, of information on the situation, cultures, languages, rights and aspirations of indigenous people and, in that context, to consider the possibility of organizing projects, special events, exhibitions and other activities addressed to the public, in particular to young people; (c) To submit, through the Secretary-General, an annual report to the General Assembly on the implementation of the programme of activities for the Decade; 5. Reaffirms the adoption of a declaration on the rights of indigenous people as a major objective of the Decade, and underlines the importance of effective participation by indigenous representatives in the open-ended inter-sessional working group of the Commission on Human Rights charged with developing a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous people, established pursuant to Commission resolution 1995/32 of 3 March 1995;4 6. Welcomes Economic and Social Council decision 2001/316 of 26 July 2001 concerning the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; 7. Encourages Governments to support the Decade by: (a) Preparing relevant programmes, plans and reports in relation to the Decade, in consultation with indigenous people; (b) Seeking means, in consultation with indigenous people, of giving indigenous people greater responsibility for their own affairs and an effective voice in decisions on matters that affect them; (c) Establishing national committees or other mechanisms involving indigenous people to ensure that the objectives and activities of the Decade are planned and implemented on the basis of full partnership with indigenous people; (d) Contributing to the United Nations Trust Fund for the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People; _______________ 3 A/56/206. See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1995, Supplement No. 3 and corrigenda (E/1995/23 and Corr.1 and 2), chap. II, sect. A. 4 2