A/HRC/36/57 human rights institutions and regional mechanisms have made in the promotion of indigenous persons’ rights and the implementation of the Declaration; the main challenges faced by national human rights institutions in this regard; how the situation of indigenous peoples has evolved in the last 10 years thanks to the Declaration; and cooperation between the Expert Mechanism, national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms under the new mandate. It was also noted by members of the Expert Mechanism that the agenda item would become a standing agenda item for future sessions of the Expert Mechanism. 33. The panellists noted that their respective institutions were mandated to make recommendations, provide advice, raise awareness and engage in capacity-building to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples and implement the Declaration. The challenges identified in relation to their work on indigenous peoples’ rights were overwhelmingly concerned with the reluctance of States to commit themselves to implementing the Declaration, the absence of formal recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights in constitutions and laws and the failure of States to ensure the participation of indigenous peoples and the principle of free, prior and informed consent. States also continued to view the Declaration as non-binding, thereby downplaying its normative force. Those challenges had led to ongoing discrimination against indigenous peoples, a failure to protect indigenous peoples’ rights, in particular cultural rights and rights to lands, territories and resources, and an inability to enforce or monitor compliance with decisions that recognized their rights under the Declaration. 34. Panel members identified certain improvements in their regions since the adoption of the Declaration, namely the increasing number of references to indigenous peoples’ rights in high-level governmental discussions, the influence of the Declaration in policymaking, the creation of government bodies exclusively dedicated to indigenous issues and the development of jurisprudence pertaining to the rights of indigenous persons. In discussing the enhanced cooperation between the Expert Mechanism, national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms under the new mandate, the panellists noted the utility of training for indigenous peoples, public officials and other stakeholders on the work done by the Expert Mechanism, as well as capacity-building related to the new mandate and the Expert Mechanism’s working methods. Importantly, national human rights institutions should also continue to report on issues affecting indigenous peoples, in particular to ensure that the violations of their rights were included in the reviews of international human rights bodies, such as the treaty bodies. OHCHR drew the attention of national human rights institutions to the publication The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: a Manual for National Human Rights Institutions, which might prove a useful tool to facilitate enhanced cooperation under the new mandate. 35. In response to a question about ways in which national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms informed indigenous communities about their rights and about successful decisions upholding their rights, panellists noted that either the relevant authorities or the rights holders themselves were directly notified of the decision. Some national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms had also published reports and implemented specialized programmes in a variety of formats and languages, which were designed to raise awareness amongst indigenous peoples about their rights. Many national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms also collected evidence of violations of indigenous peoples’ rights in the communities or regions concerned. Participants also raised the need for greater collaboration between the Expert Mechanism, the Permanent Forum, national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms. It was suggested that greater collaboration could be achieved by institutionalizing collaboration and ensuring that the exchange of information was systematic and reciprocal. VII. Coordination meeting between the Expert Mechanism, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples 36. The members of the Expert Mechanism held a private meeting with the Chair of the Permanent Forum, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and a 8