A/60/358 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 16 September 2005 English Original: Spanish Sixtieth session Item 70 of the provisional agenda* Indigenous issues The situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people Note by the Secretary-General The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit to the members of the General Assembly the report of Rodolfo Stavenhagen, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, pursuant to paragraph 18 of Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/51. Summary The present report, on activities carried out from August 2004 to August 2005, highlights some concerns which the Special Rapporteur deems to be worthy of special and urgent attention. The activities carried out by the Special Rapporteur in fulfilment of the mandate entrusted to him by the Commission on Human Rights in 2001 have focused on (a) thematic investigation of issues that have an impact on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people; (b) country visits; and (c) communications with Governments with respect to alleged violations of indigenous people’s human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the world. The report is divided into a number of sections which include references to the Special Rapporteur’s mandate and his various activities, including country visits and coordination and cooperation with other international and regional mechanisms, a summary and analysis of communications sent during the period under review and an overview of the different human rights problems faced by indigenous people. In this report, the Special Rapporteur refers in particular to the relevance for indigenous people of the Millennium Development Goals, especially goal 1 (eradicate extreme poverty and hunger) and goal 2 (achieve universal primary education), and to some of the major challenges in terms of the protection of indigenous people, since these * A/60/150. 05-51314 (E) 041005 051005 *0551314*