World Conference Resources

UN Documents | Letters of the President | Outcome Document

Memos regarding World Conference follow-up

Actions to combat violence against indigenous women.pdf
An Implementing and monitoring body for the UN Declaration.pdf
Participation of indigenous governments in the UN.pdf

Resolutions of the UN General Assembly

Enhancing the participation of indigenous peoples’representatives and institutions in meetings of relevant United Nations bodies on issues affecting them, A/RES/71/321

2015 resolution requesting the President to conduct consultations with indigenous peoples and member states to determine how to enable the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives and institutions (governments) in the work of the United Nations, and to prepare a compilation of views to form the basis of a draft text to be finalized by the General Assembly during its 71st session, A/RES/70/232

2014 Outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, A/RES/69/2.

2012 resolution deciding the organization and modalities of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, which is to result in a concise, action-oriented outcome document, A/RES/66/296.

2010 resolution deciding to organize a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, in order to share perspectives and best practices on the realization of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and to pursue the objectives of the UN Declaration, A/RES/65/198.

Resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council

2015 resolution on Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples, A/HRC/RES/30/4, deciding to hold, in September 2016, a half-day panel discussion on the causes and consequences of violence against indigenous women and girls, including those with disabilities.

2015 resolution on the Review of the mandate of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, A/HRC/RES/30/11, deciding to hold a two-day expert workshop in Geneva in early 2016 to review and propose recommendations to change the Expert Mechanism into an implementing and monitoring body for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous peoples will be invited to submit papers, materials, and proposals for the expert workshop. The report and recommendations will be discussed by states, indigenous peoples, and others at the 9th session of the Expert Mechanism in July, 2016, and further considered by the Human Rights Council during its 33rd session in September, 2016.

UN Secretary-General Reports

2015 Report on Progress made in the implementation of the outcome document of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. The report provides an update on the development of a system-wide action plan for achieving the ends of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and general recommendations for achieving an implementing body for the UN Declaration and ways to enable the participation of indigenous governments in the UN. Regarding an implementing body, the report recommends strengthening the work of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to assist states in monitoring implementation of recommendations by human rights bodies concerning indigenous peoples, including by receiving direct communications from indigenous peoples and states. The report recommends that the implementing body be developed closely with indigenous peoples and that it not duplicate the work of existing human rights mechanisms like the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples. Concerning indigenous government participation in the UN, the report recommends countries move forward to enable such participation and suggests looking to accreditation and participation methods utilized by National Human Rights Institutions as a best practice. The report recommends that the President of the General Assembly appoint advisors, including indigenous representatives, to lead an open-ended consultation process to develop further procedural and institutional steps and accreditation standards.

2012 Report on Ways and means of promoting participation at the United Nations of indigenous peoples’ representatives on issues affecting them. The report summarizes existing UN rules and practices in relation to the participation of indigenous peoples and proposes possible ways forward to develop a procedure to enable the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives in the United Nations.

UN Permanent Forum Reports

2015 Report on the fourteenth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The report recommends the General Assembly consider establishing a new procedure, in collaboration with indigenous peoples, to guarantee the effective participation of representatives of indigenous peoples and, in particular, indigenous governance institutions, in the 70th session of the Assembly, including a corresponding accreditation mechanism. The report also recommends the Commission on the Status of Women consider the empowerment of indigenous women as a priority theme of its 61st session, in March 2017.

Letters of the President of the General Assembly

Letter of the President of the General Assembly reconfirming the four Advisers and announcing a launch informal briefing on how to enable the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives and institutions at the United Nations (28 September 2016)
Letter of the President of the General Assembly appointing the four Advisers who will assist him in conducting consultations on the participation of indigenous peoples at the United Nations, (18 February 2016)
Letter of the President of the General Assembly convening a briefing on the issue of participation of indigenous peoples at the United Nations, (25 February 2016)
Letter of the President of the General Assembly addressed to indigenous peoples on the launching of a process of the General Assembly to consider how to enable the participation of indigenous peoples at the United Nations, (26 February 2016)        
Letter of the President of the General Assembly enclosing the communication from the Advisers on the way forward on the consultations on the participation of indigenous peoples at the United Nations, (9 March 2016)
Draft text of the concise outcome document at the “High-level Plenary meeting of the sixty-ninth session of the GA, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples” (17 September) Programme and organizational arrangements (15 September 2014)

Draft Outcome Document (15 September 2014)
Revised draft Outcome Document and Informal Consultations (5 September 2014)
Revised draft Outcome Document and Informal Consultations (29 August 2014)
Organizational arrangements for the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (Letter to Member States, 18 August 2014)
Organizational arrangements for the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (Letter to Indigenous Peoples Representatives, 18 August 2014)
Lists of organizations that may participate in the High-Level Plenary Meeting (13 august)
Informal consultations (8 August 2014)
Informal consultations (25 July 2014)
Informal consultations (8 July 2014)
Programme of the Interactive Hearing (13 June 2014)
Concept Note of the Interactive Hearing (13 June 2014)
Letter dated 30 May 2014 to all Permanent Missions and Permanent Observer Missions to the United Nations on the Informal consultations - World Conference on Indigenous Peoples
Letter dated 19 May 2014 to all Permanent Missions and Permanent Observer Missions to the United Nations proposal for consideration of the entire membership of the Assembly
Letter dated 5 March 2014 to all Permanent Missions and Permanent Observer Missions to the United Nations regarding consultations on the organization of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples
Letter dated 5 April 2012 to all Permanent Missions and Permanent Observer Missions to the United Nations appointing co-chairs to lead the informal consultations for the high level meeting on Indigenous Issues
Letter dated 11 August 2011 to all Permanent Missions and Permanent Observer Missions to the United Nations regarding the first discussion on the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (23 May 2011)

Outcome Document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples
The World Conference Outcome Document was the result of years of preparation and negotiation, and was adopted by consensus of all 193 member states of the United Nations on September 22, 2014.
 
The final Outcome Document contains the focus of all four of the recommendations proposed by the group of 150 indigenous nations and organizations, including:
·         Initiating a process to create a permanent body in the UN system that will monitor and encourage implementation of the Declaration;
·         Considering options for a General Assembly decision to make it possible for Indian tribal governments and other indigenous governments to participate in UN meetings on a permanent basis;
·         Giving particular attention to the epidemic of violence against indigenous women, including Indian and Alaska Native women in the United States; and
·         Respect for places sacred to Indian and other indigenous nations and peoples.
 
Previous iterations of the Outcome Document are available below:

July 8, 2014: Zero Draft of the Outcome Document

Our proposed edits to the Zero Draft of the Outcome Document
Recommendations - English
Recomendaciones - Español

On July 16, 2014, the President of the United Nations General Assembly held an informal consultation to receive input into the Outcome Document. Watch and share videos from the consultation  .
 
August 8, 2014: Revised Draft of the Outcome Document

Our proposed edits to the August 8th draft outcome document
Recommendations - English
Recomendaciones - Español
 
August 26, 2014: Revised Draft of the Outcome Document
September 5, 2014: Revised Draft of the Outcome Document
September 15, 2014: Revised Outcome Document
September 22-23, 2014: World Conference Joint Statements