A/HRC/24/51 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 18/8, the Human Rights Council requested the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to undertake, with the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a questionnaire to seek the views of States on best practices regarding possible appropriate measures and implementation strategies to attain the goals of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In its resolution 21/24, the Council requested the Expert Mechanism to continue to undertake the survey to seek the views of both States and indigenous peoples, with a view to completing a final summary of responses for presentation to the Council at its twentyfourth session. 2. The questionnaires for both States and indigenous peoples focused on the following issues: development of an overarching or national strategy; whether specific legal, policy or other measures had been adopted to implement the Declaration; whether the Declaration has been taken into account when devising relevant laws, policies and other measures; whether steps have been taken to raise awareness of the Declaration at the community and Government levels; challenges encountered when adopting measures to attain the goals of the Declaration; and views on best practices regarding appropriate measures and implementation strategies to attain the goals of the Declaration. In their responses, States and indigenous peoples were asked to consider six different thematic areas: selfdetermination and autonomy; participation in decision-making, including obligations to seek to obtain indigenous peoples’ free, prior and informed consent; culture and languages; non-discrimination and equality; lands, territories and resources; and treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements with States. 3. The Expert Mechanism thanks the States that responded to the questionnaire. State responses were received from Australia, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Chile, the Congo, Denmark, Finland, France, Guyana, Iraq, Kazakhstan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and the United States of America. 4. The Expert Mechanism also thanks the indigenous peoples and indigenous peoples’ organizations that responded to the questionnaire. Responses were received from Aldet Centre (Saint Lucia); Botswana Khwedom Council (Botswana); Community for the Advancement of Native Studies, CANS (United States); Comisión Jurídica Para el Autodesarrollo de los Pueblos Originarios Andinos, CAPAJ (Peru); Centro de Promoción y Desarrollo Rural Amazónico, CEPODRA (Peru); Indigenous Bar Association, IBA (Canada); Naga Women’s Union, NWU and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights, NPMHR (India); National Khoi-San Council (South Africa); National Native Title Council, NNTC (Australia); Native Indian Youth Council (United States); Ogoni Indigenous Ministers Forum (Nigeria); Programme d’Intégration et de Développement du Peuple Pygmée au Kivu (Democratic Republic of the Congo); San Support Organizations’ Association of Namibia (Namibia); and Torres Strait Indigenous Peoples of Australia (Australia). 5. All responses are available on the website of the Expert Mechanism. 6. The Expert Mechanism also thanks the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba, Canada, for its assistance in reviewing the responses from States. 3