A/HRC/27/67
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 24/10, 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 twentyseventh session. The present report builds upon the report presented to the Council at its
twenty-fourth session (A/HRC/24/51) and integrates additional responses received from
States and indigenous peoples.
2.
The questionnaires for both States and indigenous peoples focused on the following
issues: development of an overarching or national strategy; adoption of specific legal,
policy or other measures to implement the Declaration; whether the Declaration had been
taken into account when devising relevant laws, policies and other measures; whether steps
had 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 the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples; culture and
languages; non-discrimination and equality; lands, territories and resources; and treaties,
agreements and other constructive arrangements with States.1
3.
The Expert Mechanism thanks the States that responded to the questionnaire.
Responses were received from Australia, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Chile, the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, France,
Germany, Guyana, Iraq, Kazakhstan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mexico,
Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Switzerland, 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 (United States); Comisión Jurídica para el Autodesarrollo
de los Pueblos Originarios Andinos (Peru); Centro de Promoción y Desarrollo Rural
Amazónico (Peru); Comunidad Emberá Purú de San Juan de Pequeni (Panama); Indigenous
Bar Association (Canada); Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (Viet Nam); Naga
Women’s Union and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (India); National KhoiSan Council (South Africa); National Native Title Council (Australia); National 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); Sámi Parliament of Norway; San Support Organizations’ Association of Namibia;
Torres Strait Indigenous Peoples of Australia; and Yamasi People (United States).
5.
1
All responses are available on the website of the Expert Mechanism.
For the full text of the questionnaires, see A/HRC/24/51, paragraphs 7–9.
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