A/HRC/24/41 Assembly in 2014. In this connection, in December 2012, the Special Rapporteur, together with members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples met in Guatemala to discuss their respective roles in preparation for and during the World Conference. The meeting included participation in ceremonies to mark the Oxlajuuj B’aqtun, the change of the era in the Maya calendar. In addition, in June 2013, the Special Rapporteur spoke at a preparatory session for the World Conference, held in Alta, Norway, which was hosted by the Sami Parliament of that country. The Alta meeting was attended by hundreds of indigenous peoples from around the world and resulted in an outcome document detailing their collective their expectations and proposals for the World Conference. 6. The Special Rapporteur has also continued to coordinate his work with regional human rights institutions. Most significantly, in April 2013, he participated in an “Exchange Workshop on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Between the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights” in Banjul, the Gambia. During the meeting, the Special Rapporteur presented his work in the African context and globally, and exchanged information with the regional mechanisms on common challenges and objectives for the promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples in their respective work areas. He also continues to dialogue with the African Commission and the Inter-American Commission on cases of common concern, and has followed up with several Governments regarding the status of implementation of decisions previously made by these bodies. B. Areas of work 7. The Special Rapporteur has engaged in a range of activities within the terms of his mandate to monitor the human rights conditions of indigenous peoples worldwide and promote steps to improve those conditions. He has sought to incorporate a gender perspective, and be attentive to the particular vulnerabilities of indigenous children and youth. Overall, the Special Rapporteur has tried to develop work methods oriented towards constructive dialogue with Governments, indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations, relevant United Nations agencies and other actors, in order to address challenging issues and situations and to build on advances already made. As detailed in previous reports to the Human Rights Council, the various activities that he has carried out in this spirit can be described as falling within four, interrelated spheres of activity: promoting good practices; country reports; cases of alleged human rights violations; and thematic studies. 1. Promotion of good practices 8. A first area of the Special Rapporteur’s work follows from the directive given by the Human Rights Council “To examine ways and means of overcoming existing obstacles to the full and effective protection of the rights of indigenous peoples … 
and to identify, exchange and promote best practices” (Council resolution 15/14, para. 1 (a)). The Special Rapporteur has been focused on working to advance legal, administrative, and programmatic reforms at the domestic level to implement the standards of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other relevant international instruments. 9. In this connection, the Special Rapporteur has continued to provide technical assistance to Governments in their efforts to develop laws and policies that relate to indigenous peoples. Most often, this technical assistance has dealt with the development of 23