A/RES/65/198 1. Welcomes the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, and takes note with appreciation of his report on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people 6 and his report on the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People; 7 2. Also welcomes the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the status of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations; 8 3. Decides to expand the mandate of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations so that it can assist representatives of indigenous peoples’ organizations and communities to participate in sessions of the Human Rights Council and of human rights treaty bodies, based on diverse and renewed participation and in accordance with relevant rules and regulations, including Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996; Urges Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental 4. organizations to continue to contribute to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations and the Trust Fund for the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, and invites indigenous organizations and private institutions and individuals to do likewise; Encourages those States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the 5. International Labour Organization Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) to consider doing so and to consider supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,1 and welcomes the increased support by States for the Declaration; 6. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the midterm assessment of the progress made in the achievement of the goal and objectives of the Second International Decade; 9 7. Calls upon States to consider the recommendations contained in the midterm assessment of the implementation of the Second International Decade and to enhance national and international efforts, including international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous peoples in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment and social and economic development by means of action-oriented programmes and specific projects, increased technical assistance and relevant standard-setting activities; Decides to organize a high-level plenary meeting of the General 8. Assembly, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, to be held in 2014, in order to share perspectives and best practices on the realization of the rights of indigenous peoples, including to pursue the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and invites the President of the General Assembly to conduct open-ended consultations with Member States and with representatives of indigenous peoples within the framework of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, as well as with the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur, in order to determine _______________ 6 See A/65/264. See A/64/338. 8 See A/65/163. 9 A/65/166. 7 2