A/73/176 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted to the General Assembly by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples pursuant to her mandate under Human Rights Council resolution 33/12. 2. In the report, the Special Rapporteur first provides a summary of her activities since her previous report to the Assembly (A/72/186), then introduces the theme, “Indigenous peoples and self-governance”, in particular as it relates to the achievement of sustainable development. The Special Rapporteur intends to devote a future thematic report to the issue of indigenous governance systems, to identify and promote best practices and provide Member States with relevant recommendations. II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur in 2017 and 2018 3. As part of her mandate, the Special Rapporteur has engaged in a number of activities, with the aim being (a) to conduct thematic studies; (b) to conduct country visits; (c) to communicate with Governments and other actors on alleged violations of the rights of indigenous peoples; and (d) to promote good practices. Some of the focus areas addressed and activities carried out by the Special Rapporteur during the past year are highlighted below. A. Attacks against and criminalization of indigenous peoples 4. In recent years, there has been a worrying escalation in the criminalization and harassment of, and attacks and threats against, indigenous peoples who have been defending their rights to protect their lands, territories and resources. Violations increasingly arise when indigenous leaders and community members voice concerns over extractive and investment projects, such as mining, agribusiness or hydroelectric dams. Such projects are commonly developed without consultations or the free, prior and informed consent of the peoples whose lands, territories and natural resources are affected. Intensified competition over natural resources has placed indigenous communities seeking to protect their traditional lands at the forefront of conflict, as targets of persecution. 5. The Special Rapporteur therefore dedicated her thematic report to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-ninth session (A/HRC/39/17) to an analysis of those concerns, through the optic of indigenous peoples’ rights. The report specifically analyses the individual and collective impacts on indigenous peoples and the need to develop collective prevention and protection measures. In order to consult a broa d range of actors during the preparation of the report, the Special Rapporteur issued a public call for input on the subject, resulting in over 70 written submissions, and convened consultations in Geneva and New York in March and April 2018. B. Consultation and free, prior and informed consent 6. The Special Rapporteur continues to receive reports from indigenous peoples with allegations on the violation of their rights to consultation and to free, prior and informed consent. She has also had the opportunity to hear the views of States and the private sector on the need to regulate those rights, for the sake of legal clarity, and has received requests from various actors to provide commentaries and technical advice. 18-11856 3/23