A/HRC/24/49 82. Ms. Lasimbang asked the participants to provide information on whether the Expert Mechanism should continue with the questionnaire. Some participants recommended that the Council encourage States to work with indigenous peoples in completing the mechanism’s questionnaire in a substantive manner. The questionnaire survey seeks the view of States and indigenous peoples on best practices. Accessing a global scope of responses is useful in this regard. 83. Participants underlined the importance of the Declaration as an instrument for attaining the full realization of the human rights of indigenous peoples and acknowledged the role of the Expert Mechanism in helping to promote the effective implementation of the Declaration. Participants also noted that a wide gap continues to exist between the implementation of the Declaration and its application on the ground. Some participants expressed regret that some States continue to deny the presence of indigenous peoples within their borders, and called for the Declaration to be included as one of the bases of the UPR. 84. Specifically, participants highlighted challenges concerning the rights of indigenous peoples to access to justice; issues related to the protection of indigenous peoples’ lands, territories and resources; the situation of human rights defenders and assassination of indigenous leaders; the impact of climate change; violence against indigenous women and their lack of representation in decision-making; and the marginalization of indigenous persons with disabilities. Some participants also stressed the importance of the role of the media in the promotion of the Declaration. 85. Numerous participants and experts raised concerns about the militarization of indigenous peoples’ lands, territories and resources. Participants also highlighted the impact of extractive industries and mega development projects in indigenous lands and encouraged stronger collaboration between the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises and the three United Nations mechanisms on indigenous peoples to promote the effective implementation of the Declaration, including respecting the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples and the provision of accessible grievance and redress mechanisms. 86. Participants emphasized that they continue to face challenges in exercising the right to self-determination and called for dialogue between States and indigenous peoples to identify and address the barriers to full implementation of the Declaration. Participants also encouraged the development of comprehensive national strategies that include constitutional, legislative and policy changes developed and implemented in partnership with indigenous peoples to attain the goals of the Declaration. Participants also encouraged States to apply a human rights-based approach with regard to the Declaration. 87. Participants noted that the Declaration is an essential tool in the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples and that implementation of the Declaration remains a challenge and may require new laws. They also recommended that follow-up to the implementation of the Declaration should be completed in coordination with the United Nations system. Participants also recommended that the three United Nations mechanisms on indigenous peoples work in close collaboration with the human rights treaty bodies to ensure that clarity with regard to the status of indigenous peoples is secured and clearly articulated. 88. States highlighted their efforts to find new ways of translating the rights set out in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into concrete benefits for indigenous peoples. They shared many examples of the programmes and laws developed to implement the Declaration. States also highlighted public policies that promote the participation, consultation, self-governance, economic development and entrepreneurship of indigenous peoples; indigenous cultures; and the overall improvement of living standards of indigenous 17