A/HRC/21/52 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 17 August 2012 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-first session Agenda item 5 Human rights bodies and mechanisms Report of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on its fifth session (Geneva, 9-13 July 2012) Chairperson-Rapporteur: International Chief Wilton Littlechild Summary The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples held its fifth session from 9 to 13 July 2012. In addition to members of the Expert Mechanism, the participants in the session included representatives of States, indigenous peoples, United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions and academics. The Expert Mechanism held a half-day session to discuss the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples and then moved to a discussion on follow-up to thematic studies and advice, with particular attention paid to the follow-up report on indigenous peoples and the right to participate in decision-making, with a focus on extractive industries. The Expert Mechanism’s study on the role of languages and culture in the promotion and protection of the rights and identity of indigenous peoples was considered. Discussions on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples were also held, including an inaugural interactive dialogue among the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, the Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Expert Mechanism. The Expert Mechanism also adopted the proposals to be submitted to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-first session and adopted its follow-up report on indigenous peoples and the right to participate in decision-making, with a focus on extractive industries; its study on the role of languages and culture in the promotion and protection of the rights and identity of indigenous peoples; and its report on the questionnaire seeking the views of States on best practices regarding possible appropriate measures and implementation strategies in order to attain the goals of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. GE.12-16110