A/HRC/24/50
B.
States
6.
Consistent with indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination and selfgovernment, States should recognize and provide support for indigenous peoples’ own
justice systems and should consult with indigenous peoples on the best means for dialogue
and cooperation between indigenous and State systems.
7.
States should accord recognition and assign legal validity to customary practices that
are already carried out by indigenous authorities de facto. States should take a flexible
approach to the establishment of jurisdictional boundaries and avoid overly restrictive
limits to indigenous jurisdictional competencies over justice.
8.
States should work with indigenous peoples to address the underlying issues that
prevent indigenous peoples from having access to justice on an equal basis with others.
9.
States should work in partnership with indigenous peoples, particularly indigenous
women, to determine the most effective strategies for overcoming barriers to access to
justice. This includes helping to revitalize traditional justice norms and institutions.
10.
Moreover, States should facilitate and provide access to legal remedies for
indigenous peoples and should support capacity development of indigenous communities to
help them to understand and make use of legal systems.
11.
States should consider the impact of law and policy on indigenous peoples’ access to
human rights processes and institute reform where such law and policy interferes with
indigenous peoples’ enjoyment of substantive equality in this regard.
12.
States should recognize the rights of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories
and resources in laws and should harmonize laws in accordance with indigenous peoples’
customs on possession and use of lands (including laws and policies that affect the conduct
of business on indigenous territories) and forms of justice. Where indigenous peoples have
won land rights and other cases in courts, States must implement these decisions. The
private sector and the Government must not collude to deprive indigenous peoples of access
to justice.
13.
Training and sensitization for law enforcement officials, judicial officials and other
state agencies on the rights of indigenous peoples is recommended.
14.
In relation to criminal justice, State authorities should consult and cooperate with
indigenous peoples and their representative institutions to:
• Ensure that the criminal justice system does not become a self-promoting industry
benefiting from the overrepresentation of indigenous peoples.
• Formulate plans of action to address both the high levels of indigenous victimization
and the treatment of indigenous peoples in domestic criminal justice systems.
• Develop appropriate methodologies to obtain comprehensive data on
(a) victimization of indigenous peoples, including information on the number of
cases prosecuted, and (b) the situation of indigenous peoples in detention,
disaggregated by age, gender and disability.
• Reduce the number of indigenous individuals in prison, including through the
pursuit of non-custodial options, such as, inter alia, use of traditional restorative and
rehabilitative approaches.
15.
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In relation to transitional justice mechanisms: