A/HRC/27/52 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples to the Human Rights Council pursuant to its resolutions 15/14 and 24/9. It is the first report submitted by Victoria Tauli Corpuz, who assumed her mandate on 2 June 2014. The Special Rapporteur would like to thank the Human Rights Council for entrusting her with the important task of fulfilling that mandate and she commits herself to do so in an impartial and constructive manner and in accordance with the requirements set forth by the Council. She also would like to express her gratitude to the numerous indigenous groups and organizations that have already engaged with her mandate, and to affirm her strong commitment to her role as Special Rapporteur, acknowledging with humility the responsibility it represents. 2. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur sets out some preliminary reflections on the status of operationalization of international standards relating to indigenous peoples and her vision for her work as Special Rapporteur in that context. The report consists of four parts. Section II provides a background to the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. Section III discusses structural problems that present obstacles to the full realization of the rights of indigenous peoples. Section IV presents some preliminary comments regarding the vision and work areas of the current Special Rapporteur for her three-year mandate. Finally, section V offers conclusions made on the basis of the comments provided in the present report. 3. There are a number of addenda to the present report, all of which are reports issued by the previous Special Rapporteur. Addendum 1 is his report on the situation of indigenous peoples in Panama, addendum 2 is his report on the situation on indigenous peoples in Canada, and addendum 3 is his report on the situation of indigenous peoples in the context of extractive industries in Peru, which includes an annex on the proposed expansion of the Camisea gas project. Addendum 4 contains observations on communications sent and replies received. As indicated in that report, the communications contained therein were sent by the previous Special Rapporteur and contain observations and recommendations made by him. II. Mandate of the Special Rapporteur 4. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people was originally established by the Commission on Human Rights in 2001 (resolution 2001/57) and subsequently extended by the Commission (resolution 2004/62), by the General Assembly (resolution 60/251) and by the Human Rights Council (resolutions 5/1, 6/12, 15/14 and 24/9). In 2010, the name of the mandate was changed to the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples in Council resolution 15/14. The first two mandate holders were Rodolfo Stavenhagen, from Mexico, and James Anaya, from the United States of America. The Special Rapporteur would like to recognize and honour the outstanding work of her predecessors and hopes that she will continue to build upon the important contributions they have made to the advancement of the rights of indigenous peoples. 5. The Human Rights Council has entrusted the Special Rapporteur with a mandate to examine ways and means of overcoming existing obstacles to the full and effective protection of the rights of indigenous peoples; to identify, exchange and promote best practices; to gather, request, receive and exchange information and communications from all relevant sources, including governments, indigenous peoples and their communities and organizations, on alleged violations of the rights of indigenous peoples; and to formulate 4