29 August, 2014
Dear Representatives
of Indigenous Peoples,
I refer to the High-Level
Plenary meeting of the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly, to be known as the “World Conference on Indigenous Peoples”, to be held on 22 September 2014, and the afternoon
of 23 September 2014.
In this context, I have the honour
to bring to your attention the attached draft Outcome Document,
which is reflective of written and oral submissions of interested parties to the Informal
Consultations of 18 and 19 August in which there was active participation of Member
States and Indigenous Peoples.
With the compilation of this draft Outcome
Document, I am pleased to inform that the informal
consultation phase involving
Member States and Indigenous Peoples is now concluded. We have now
reached the final phase in the preparation process for the World Conference which is the inter-governmental negotiation among
Member States towards the Outcome Document that will be adopted at the World
Conference.
The attached Outcome Document will serve as the basis for the inter-governmental negotiations. Informal consultations in this regard
will be co-chaired by the Member States Advisers, H.E. Mr. Andrej
Logar, Permanent Representative of Slovenia,
and H.E. Ms. Marjon Kamara,
Permanent Representative
of Liberia. These consultations will commence
on Wednesday, 3 September,
2014.
I wish to convey our very deepest appreciation and recognition of the constructive and vital role of Indigenous Peoples worldwide, in the shaping of the Outcome Document.
The high level of Indigenous Peoples’ representation at the various consultations was a testament
to the mobilization which ensued
from the various preparatory processes which
you organized.
We believe that the current
iteration of the Outcome
Document, which I have now presented
to Member States, addresses the core principles and interests
that you have articulated in the consultations. Given the intergovernmental character of the next negotiations, consideration of the Outcome Document will be undertaken by Member States.
The document, as presented, enjoys wide support and
it
is our solemn hope that this
last stage will build on
your success and contributions.
It is with great pleasure that I look forward to the adoption
of the Outcome Document at the World Conference which will, without doubt, prove to be another
historic milestone in the United Nations
efforts to realize
the rights of Indigenous
Peoples.
John W.
Ashe
To Representatives of Indigenous Peoples
*************
Draft outcome document to be adopted by the General Assembly
on 22 September 2014
69/. Outcome
document of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly: The World Conference on Indigenous Peoples
The General Assembly
Adopts the following outcome document:
Outcome document of the High-level Meeting of the
General Assembly: The World
Conference on Indigenous Peoples
1. We,
the Heads of State and Government, Ministers and representatives of Member
States, reaffirming our solemn commitment to the purposes and
principles of the United Nations Charter, in a spirit of cooperation with the Indigenous
Peoples of the world are assembled at United Nations Headquarters in New York
on 22 and 23 September 2014, on the occasion of the World Conference on
Indigenous Peoples, to reiterate the important and continuing role of the
United Nations in promoting and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples.
2. We
welcome the indigenous peoples’ preparatory processes for the World Conference
including the Global Indigenous Preparatory Conference for the World Conference
on Indigenous Peoples held in Alta, Norway, in June 2013. We take note of the
outcome document of the Alta Conference[1]
and other contributions made by indigenous peoples. We also welcome the inclusive preparatory
process for this High-level Plenary meeting, including the comprehensive
engagement of the representatives of indigenous peoples.
3. In
adopting this outcome document, we reaffirm our commitment to consult and
cooperate in good faith with indigenous peoples concerned through their own
representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed
consent, prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands,
territories and resources or before
adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may
affect them.
4. We
reaffirm our solemn commitment to respect, promote and advance and in no way
diminish the rights of indigenous peoples, including those set out in the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted by the
General Assembly on 13 September 2007[2].5. In addition to the Declaration, we recall the
other major achievements of the past two decades in building an international
framework for the advancement of the rights and aspirations of the world’s
indigenous peoples, including the establishment of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues, the creation of an Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,
and the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We commit to follow up on recommendations and advice issued by these bodies in
cooperation with indigenous peoples.
6. We
encourage those states that have not yet ratified or acceded to the International
Labour Organization Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (no. 169),
to consider doing so; we recall the obligation under the Convention, of ratifying
States to develop coordinated and systematic action to protect the rights of
indigenous peoples[3].
7. We reaffirm
our commitment to take legislative, policy and administrative measures to
achieve the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples and to promote awareness of it among all sectors of society, especially
Members of Parliament, the judiciary and the civil service.
8. We commit
to cooperate with indigenous peoples, through their own representative
institutions, to prepare and implement national action plans where relevant, devoted
to achieving the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.
9. We
commit to ensure that national action plans include specific measures to
address the rights of indigenous persons with disabilities. We will support, in
collaboration with indigenous peoples the development of capacity for indigenous
persons with disabilities to effectively participate in the preparation and
implementation of these action plans, and ensure that legislative, policy and
administrative structures related to indigenous peoples are inclusive of
indigenous persons with disabilities.
10. We
commit to empower, cooperate and coordinate with indigenous peoples to
disaggregate data and utilise culturally appropriate indicators of indigenous
peoples’ well-being to address the situation and needs of indigenous peoples
and individuals, particularly elders, women, youth, children and persons with
disabilities.
11. We
commit, with the full, equal and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples,
to provide adequate resources that enable the empowerment of Indigenous Peoples
to deliver and have access to high quality and culturally based education,
health, housing and other economic and social programmes to improve their
well-being.
12. We
commit to ensure that indigenous peoples and individuals enjoy the highest
attainable standard of physical, mental and spiritual health. We will improve access to sexual and reproductive
health and reduce rates of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and non-communicable diseases, by
increasing resources and focusing on prevention. We will also respect
indigenous peoples’ traditional health practices, sciences and medicines.
13. We will
support the empowerment and capacity-building of Indigenous youth for
participation in decision making processes. We commit to develop, in
consultation with indigenous peoples, policies, programmes and resources for
indigenous youth that prioritise awareness and understanding of their rights, health,
education and transmission of traditional knowledge, languages and practices.
14. We
acknowledge that indigenous peoples’ justice institutions can play a positive
role in dispute resolution and contribute to harmonious relationships within
indigenous peoples’ communities and within society, consistent with
international human rights norms, standards and principles. We commit to
coordination and dialogue with indigenous peoples’ justice institutions.
15. We
commit to support the empowerment of indigenous women. We will formulate and
implement, in collaboration with indigenous peoples, particularly indigenous
women and their organizations, policies and programmes designed to promote
capacity-building and strengthen their leadership. We will support measures
which will ensure full and effective participation of indigenous women in
decision making processes at all levels and in all areas, and eliminate
barriers for their participation in political, economic, social and cultural
life.
16. We will
increase, as a matter of priority, in cooperation with indigenous peoples, our
efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination
against indigenous peoples and individuals, in particular, violence against
women, youth and children, by strengthening legal, policy and institutional
frameworks.
17. We commit to establish at the national
level, in conjunction with indigenous peoples concerned, fair, independent,
impartial, open and transparent mechanisms to acknowledge, advance and
adjudicate the rights of indigenous peoples pertaining to lands, territories
and resources. Such mechanisms will be
culturally appropriate and flexible, and competent to safeguard free, prior and
informed consent by indigenous peoples prior to development or use of lands,
territories and resources.
18. We
commit to address the impact or potential impact of major development projects,
including extractive industries, on indigenous peoples and to ensure
transparency and benefit sharing. The rights of indigenous peoples regarding
development of lands, territories and resources, will be incorporated into law,
policies and practice.
19. We
commit to develop, in conjunction with indigenous peoples concerned, policies, programmes
and resources to support indigenous peoples’ occupations, economies,
livelihoods, seeds, and food security.
20. We
commit to give effect to indigenous peoples’ right to their religious and
cultural sites, as well as call upon all states to provide access to and
repatriation of their ceremonial objects and human remains. We shall establish fair,
transparent and effective mechanisms for access and repatriation at national
and international levels in conjunction with indigenous peoples concerned.
21. We
urge Member States to initiate processes to demilitarize indigenous peoples’
lands and territories, unless military activity is justified by a relevant
public interest. Where military activities exist, we urge Member States to
immediately commence effective consultations with the indigenous peoples
concerned.
22. We
invite the United Nations Human Rights Council in consultation with indigenous
peoples, to recommend to the 71st session of the General Assembly on
options to use existing United Nations mechanisms to more effectively promote
respect for and full application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples. In this process, the Council may review the role of the
Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to better assist Member
States to monitor, evaluate and improve implementation of the Declaration.
23. We
invite Human Rights Treaty bodies to consider the United Nations Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in accordance with their existing mandates. We
commit to include information regarding the implementation of the United
Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples in our reports to Human Rights Treaty
bodies, and in Universal Periodic Review procedures.
24. We welcome
the increasingly important role of national human rights institutions[4],
as well as regional human rights institutions in contributing to the
achievement of the ends of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We will encourage the private sector, civil society, and academia to take an
active role in respecting, promoting and protecting the rights of indigenous
peoples.
25. We
request the Secretary-General, in consultation and cooperation with indigenous
peoples and Member States, to develop a System-wide Action Plan within existing
resources, to ensure a coherent approach to the full realization of the provisions
of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
26. We
invite the Secretary General, in light of the need for increased awareness of
the rights of indigenous peoples, to give consideration to the appointment of a
United Nations official at the highest possible level.
27. We invite the Human Rights Council to
consider examining the causes and consequences of violence against indigenous women
and girls, in consultation with the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against
Women and other Special Procedures. We also request the Economic and Social
Council to call on the Commission on the Status of Women to decide at its 59th
session that “the empowerment of indigenous women” will be a priority theme at
a future session.
28. Building
on the report of the Secretary-General on ways and means of promoting
participation at the United Nations of indigenous peoples’ representatives on
the issues affecting them[5], we
request the Secretary-General to present concrete proposals to the 70th
Session of the General Assembly that enable the direct participation of indigenous
peoples’ and their representative institutions at the United Nations.
29. We
invite the Economic and Social Council to organize a high-level panel
discussion in conjunction with indigenous peoples, during its Coordination and
Management meetings to review the policies and procedures on indigenous peoples
within ECOSOC subsidiary bodies.
30. We commit
to respect the contributions of indigenous peoples to ecosystem management and sustainable
development. This includes knowledge generated through experience in hunting,
gathering, fishing, pastoralism and agriculture, as well as their sciences,
technologies and cultures.
31. We confirm
that indigenous peoples’ knowledge and strategies to sustain their environment will
be respected and utilized when we develop national and international policies,
standards and measures on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
32. We resolve
to give due consideration to the rights of indigenous peoples in the process of
elaborating the post-2015 development agenda and to mainstream the promotion
and protection of their cultures and rights into the development agenda at the
national, regional and international levels.
33. We
invite Member States and actively encourage the private sector, and other
institutions to contribute to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous
Peoples, the United Nations Trust Fund on Indigenous Issues, IFAD Indigenous
Peoples Assistance Facility, and the United Nations Indigenous Peoples
Partnership as a means of promoting the rights of indigenous peoples worldwide.
34. We
request the Secretary-General to include a specific focus on indigenous peoples
in the final report[6]
on the achievement of the millennium development goals.
35. We
request the Secretary-General, in coordination with relevant United Nations system
entities, to report on progress to the 71st session of the General Assembly and
make recommendations, as appropriate, for further concrete steps to implement
this outcome document.
36. We request the Secretary-General to revert on
the financial implications, if any, at the sixty-ninth session of the United
Nations General Assembly.
