A/59/258 grown by indigenous farmers. In Chile, indigenous people live at poverty levels significantly higher than those of the non-indigenous population. One of the greatest challenges for that country is to strike a balance between its economic and social development and the protection of the right of indigenous communities to an ethnic identity. The same is true of Mexico, where indigenous communities display lower human development indicators and higher levels of poverty than urban and nonindigenous communities. 34. Some States have recognized these problems and are promoting special policies and measures aimed at improving the standard of living of indigenous peoples. In other areas, public policies are not so designed and the needs of indigenous populations have not been taken into account. Recent experience has shown that effective results which make a real difference in individual and community life require that economic growth go hand in hand with social concerns and that specific public policies for indigenous peoples be developed, with their active participation, in order to address their particular problems. In Canada, the Special Rapporteur was informed of a high incidence of diabetes in the aboriginal population and of disturbingly high suicide rates among indigenous youths as a consequence of the radical lifestyle changes imposed by government policy during the past few generations. 35. The goal of human rights-based sustainable development, a concept endorsed by the General Assembly, is particularly significant for indigenous peoples. It has been noted that the traditional approach to economic development, which focused solely on growth, has not yielded the desired results; social and cultural objectives must be included, as noted in the Human Development Report 2004. Failure to do so can lead to serious violations of the rights of indigenous peoples, as has been the case in the past. If the Millennium Development Goals are to be achieved, particular attention must be paid to the rights of indigenous peoples. E. Political representation, autonomy and self-determination 36. Indigenous self-organization has made considerable progress over the years. From the local level to the regional, national and international levels, indigenous peoples’ associations have become political and social actors in their own right, as witnessed by their continuing participation in the yearly sessions of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations and of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. These organizations speak with many voices, but on the fundamental issues of their human rights, their objectives and their aspirations, they are usually in remarkable agreement. In some countries, they are now recognized as legitimate partners and interlocutors of Governments and other social sectors on the national scene. In other countries, the going has been more difficult; their organizations may not be officially recognized and their right to free association may not be completely respected. 37. To the extent that the rights of indigenous peoples are not fully represented within existing power structures, their organizations and other human rights advocacy associations that take up their cause may also become victims of abuses and be denied adequate protection under the law. In recent years, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the International Labour Organization Committee of Experts, the Inter-American Commission on 11