Item 23. Indigenous issues

180. In its decision 1996/102, the Commission on Human Rights decided to add a new agenda item, entitled "Indigenous
issues", to its agenda.

A permanent forum for indigenous people

181. The Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 1997/30, requested the High Commissioner to convene the second
workshop on a permanent forum for indigenous people in the United Nations system for a period of three days prior to the
fifteenth session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations. The second workshop on a permanent forum was held in
Santiago de Chile from 30 June to 2 July 1997. The Commission also requested the High Commissioner to transmit the report
of the workshop to the Working Group, inviting it to express its views, and to submit the report, together with any comments
arising from discussions in the Working Group, to the Commission at its forty-fourth session. The Commission will have before
it the report of the workshop (E/CN.4/1998/11 and Add.1). The comments of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations
are contained in paragraphs 109-124 of the report of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations on its fifteenth session
(E/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/14).

Working group of the Commission on Human Rights to elaborate a draft declaration

182. In its resolution 1995/32, the Commission decided to establish an open-ended inter-sessional working group of the
Commission with the sole purpose of elaborating a draft declaration, considering the draft contained in the annex to
Sub-Commission resolution 1994/45, entitled "draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples". In its
resolution 1997/31, the Commission recommended that the working group meet for 10 working days and submit a progress
report to the Commission at its fifty-fourth session. The Economic and Social Council approved that decision in its resolution
1997/50. The working group met from 27 October to 7 November 1997. The Commission will have before it the report of the
working group on its third session (E/CN.4/1998/106).

International Decade of the World's Indigenous People

183. The General Assembly, in its resolution 48/163 of 21 December 1993, proclaimed the International Decade of the
World's Indigenous People commencing on 10 December 1994. In its resolution 50/157, the General Assembly adopted the
Programme of Activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People as contained in the annex to the
resolution and requested the Secretary-General to report on progress made at the national, regional and international levels to
the General Assembly at its fifty-first session (see A/51/499). The Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 1997/32,
invited the High Commissioner for Human Rights to report to it at its fifty-fourth session. The Commission will have before it the
report of the High Commissioner (E/CN.4/1998/107).

184. At its forty-ninth session, the Sub-Commission adopted resolutions 1997/10 (Permanent forum within the United Nations
for indigenous peoples), 1997/12 (Study on indigenous land rights), 1997/13 (Protection of the heritage of indigenous people),
1997/14 (Working Group on Indigenous Populations), 1997/15 (International Decade of the World's Indigenous People) and
decision 1997/110 (Study on treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States and indigenous
populations).

185. The attention of the Commission is also drawn to draft decisions 1, 2 and 3 relating to indigenous issues, recommended to
the Commission for action, contained in chapter I of the report of the Sub-Commission on its forty-ninth session.  [back to the
contents]