A/HRC/18/43 III. Organization of the session A. Attendance 3. The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples held its fourth session in Geneva, from 11 to 15 July 2011. The members Vital Bambanze (Burundi), Anastasia Chukhman (Russian Federation), Jannie Lasimbang (Malaysia), Dr. Wilton Littlechild (Canada) and José Carlos Morales Morales (Costa Rica) participated in the session. 4. The participants in the session of the Expert Mechanism included representatives of Member States, the Holy See, United Nations organizations and programmes, national human rights institutions, indigenous delegates and non-governmental organizations (see annex I). 5. The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, a member of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Grand Chief Edward John, and a representative of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations, Tarcila Rivera Zea, also participated in the session. B. Documentation 6. The Expert Mechanism had before it the provisional agenda (A/HRC/EMRIP/2011/1) and the annotated agenda (A/HRC/EMRIP/2011/1/Add.1) as prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the advance edited version of the final report (A/HRC/EMRIP/2011/2), prepared by the Expert Mechanism. C. Opening of the session 7. The outgoing Chairperson-Rapporteur, Mr. Morales Morales, opened the fourth session of the Expert Mechanism and introduced the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for opening remarks. 8. In her statement, the High Commissioner highlighted the fact that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a milestone in indigenous peoples’ advocacy. She recalled that indigenous peoples continued to be some of the most marginalized in the world and were frequently excluded from political and economic power. She added that, according to a recent study, more than 80 per cent of indigenous peoples live in poverty, often disadvantaged in relation to education or health. The Expert Mechanism could play a key role in addressing human rights issues facing indigenous peoples through its studies, including the final report on the study on indigenous peoples and the right to participate in decision-making. She concluded that participation in decision-making was not only a human right in itself but also crucial to the enjoyment of other rights of indigenous peoples. 9. In her opening statement, the President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Laura Dupuy, stressed that the Expert Mechanism had an advisory mandate for the Council on indigenous peoples’ issues. She recalled that the Council, in its resolution 15/7, resolved to engage in an interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism at its eighteenth session. 10. In his statement, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples highlighted the work of the Expert Mechanism in developing expert thinking and practical guidance on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He also stressed that the thematic studies and advice of the Expert Mechanism complemented the work of the Special Rapporteur and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. 11. Grand Chief Edward John, member of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, noted the importance of the Expert Mechanism in advocating and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples. He also highlighted the need for coordination between the three mechanisms with mandates focused on indigenous peoples. Finally, he recalled key issues developed during the past tenth session of the Permanent Forum that could be of interest to the work of the Expert Mechanism. 7