Mandate

Discussions about establishing the Permanent Forum for indigenous peoples began in the late 1980s. Indigenous peoples and others in the Working Group on Indigenous Populations felt that the structures of the United Nations were not well-suited to consider issues of concern to indigenous peoples comprehensively. In addition, they felt that the participation of indigenous representatives in the United Nations was limited. In light of these concerns, indigenous peoples and others proposed establishing a new body that would focus on global issues related to indigenous peoples and that would offer the opportunity for indigenous peoples to participate effectively.

Participants at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna discussed the creation of the Permanent Forum. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action recommended that such a forum should be established within the framework of the United Nations International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples (1995-2004).

In June 1995, a workshop was held in Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss establishing a permanent forum for indigenous peoples. Participants included representatives of governments, indigenous peoples and independent experts. They discussed the potential scope of a permanent forum, which UN body the proposed forum would report to, the forum's mandate and terms of reference, including what activities it might undertake, membership, indigenous participation, its relationship with the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, and financial and secretariat implications. The report of this workshop was transmitted to governments, indigenous peoples' organizations, and inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations. Recipients of the report were invited to express their views.

When the General Assembly adopted the Programme of Activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, it recognized that the establishment of the Forum was one of the primary objectives of the Decade.

A second UN workshop on the Permanent Forum was held in Santiago, Chile in 1997, during which representatives of governments, indigenous peoples' organizations, NGOs, UN organizations and bodies and specialized agencies considered the findings of the Secretary-General's review and further developed proposals for establishing a permanent forum. The workshop reported to the Commission on Human Rights with suggestions on how to proceed.

Throughout the entire process, indigenous groups around the world organized international conferences about the proposed Forum. Conferences were held in Chile, Panama, India, Geneva and Tanzania. These conferences produced Declarations with recommendations and proposals concerning the Forum's mandate, membership, indigenous participation, location, and funding.

The Commission on Human Rights met in 1998 and created an ad hoc working group to consider proposals for establishing the Permanent Forum. The working group met first in early 1999, then convened another session in early 2000. By the end of the second session, the working group had designed concrete proposals that were then submitted to the Commission on Human Rights for consideration.

In April 2000, the Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution to establish the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples. Three months later, the Economic and Social Council endorsed the resolution, and the Permanent Forum came into formal existence.

The Permanent Forum is now an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights. According to its mandate, the Permanent Forum will :

• provide expert advice and recommendations on indigenous issues to the Council, as well as to programmes, funds and agencies of the United Nations, through the Council
• raise awareness and promote the integration and coordination of activities related to indigenous issues within the UN system
• prepare and disseminate information on indigenous issues The Permanent Forum is to hold an annual session. The first meeting of the Permanent Forum was held in May 2002, and yearly meetings will take place either in New York or Geneva.

Establishment of a
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling the provision contained in the final document of the World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna in June 1993, according to which the establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous people within the United Nations system should be considered, A/CONF.157/24, (Part I), chap. III, sect. II.B, para. 32.

Recalling also that consideration of the establishment of a permanent forum is recognized as one of the important objectives of the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, General Assembly resolution 50/157, annex.

Noting the two workshops on the subject held under the auspices of the Commission on Human Rights in Copenhagen in 1995 and in Santiago in 1997, See E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.4/1995/7 and E/CN.4/1998/11 and Add.1-3.

Recalling the report of the Secretary-General entitled "Review of the existing mechanisms, procedures, and programmes within the United Nations concerning indigenous people", A/51/493. and noting in particular the striking absence of a mechanism to ensure coordination and regular exchange of information among interested parties ? Governments, the United Nations and indigenous people ? on an ongoing basis,

Taking into account the deliberations of the Working Group on a permanent forum for indigenous people, See E/CN.4/1999/83 and E/CN.4/2000/86. established pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolutions 1998/20 of 9 April 1998 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1998, Supplement No. 3 (E/1998/23), chap. II, sect. A. and 1999/52 of 27 April 1999 Ibid., 1999, Supplement No. 3 (E/1999/23), chap. II, sect. A. to consider the establishment of a permanent forum and to submit concrete proposals to that effect, as well as the consideration given to the subject at the fifty-sixth session of the Commission,

Wishing to finalize this project during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People as one means of furthering the objectives of the Decade in partnership between Governments and indigenous people,

Stressing that the establishment of the permanent forum should lead to careful consideration of the future of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights,

Bearing in mind the common resolve to promote peace and prosperity in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and recalling the functions and powers of the Council in that respect as contained in the Charter,

1. Decides to establish as a subsidiary organ of the Council a permanent forum on indigenous issues, consisting of sixteen members, eight members to be nominated by Governments and elected by the Council, and eight members to be appointed by the President of the Council following formal consultation with the Bureau and the regional groups through their coordinators, on the basis of broad consultations with indigenous organizations, taking into account the diversity and geographical distribution of the indigenous people of the world as well as the principles of transparency, representativity and equal opportunity for all indigenous people, including internal processes, when appropriate, and local indigenous consultation processes, with all members serving in their personal capacity as independent experts on indigenous issues for a period of three years with the possibility of re-election or reappointment for one further period; States, United Nations bodies and organs, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Council may participate as observers; organizations of indigenous people may equally participate as observers in accordance with the procedures which have been applied in the Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights;

2. Also decides that the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues shall serve as an advisory body to the Council with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues within the mandate of the Council relating to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights; in so doing the Permanent Forum shall:

(a) Provide expert advice and recommendations on indigenous issues to the Council, as well as to programmes, funds and agencies of the United Nations, through the Council;

(b) Raise awareness and promote the integration and coordination of activities relating to indigenous issues within the United Nations system;

(c) Prepare and disseminate information on indigenous issues;

3. Further decides that the Permanent Forum shall apply the rules of procedure established for subsidiary organs of the Council as applicable, unless otherwise decided by the Council; the principle of consensus shall govern the work of the Permanent Forum;

4. Decides that the Permanent Forum shall hold an annual session of ten working days at the United Nations Office at Geneva or at United Nations Headquarters or at such other place as the Permanent Forum may decide in accordance with existing financial rules and regulations of the United Nations;

5. Also decides that the Permanent Forum shall submit an annual report to the Council on its activities, including any recommendations for approval; the report shall be distributed to the relevant United Nations organs, funds, programmes and agencies as a means, inter alia, of furthering the dialogue on indigenous issues within the United Nations system;

6. Further decides that the financing of the Permanent Forum shall be provided from within existing resources through the regular budget of the United Nations and its specialized agencies and through such voluntary contributions as may be donated;

7. Decides that, five years after its establishment, an evaluation of the functioning of the Permanent Forum, including the method for selection of its members, shall be carried out by the Council in the light of the experience gained;

8. Also decides, once the Permanent Forum has been established and has held its first annual session, to review, without prejudging any outcome, all existing mechanisms, procedures and programmes within the United Nations concerning indigenous issues, including the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, with a view to rationalizing activities, avoiding duplication and overlap and promoting effectiveness.

45th plenary meeting
28 July 2000

Establishment of a Voluntary Fund

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
on the report of the Third Committee (A/57/553)
57/191. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The General Assembly,

Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 2000/22 of 28 July 2000, in which the Council established the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, as well as Council decision 2001/316 of 26 July 2001 concerning the election/appointment of the sixteen members of the Forum and other organizational matters,

Recalling also its resolution 56/140 of 19 December 2001 on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, in which it welcomed Council decision 2001/316,

Saluting the successful holding of the historic first annual session of the Forum at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13 to 24 May 2002,

Having considered the report of the Forum on its first session,

Wishing to strengthen, within the mandate of the Council, the interactive dialogue and partnership between the Forum and Governments, specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system, other relevant international and regional organizations, indigenous people and indigenous peoples, as well as civil society at large,

Welcoming the creation of the Inter-Agency Support Group for the Forum,

Underlining the importance of securing adequate financial and secretariat support for the activities of the Forum, while reaffirming that the financing of the Forum shall be provided from within existing resources through the regular budget of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, funds and programmes and through such voluntary contributions as may be donated,

Recalling the decision of the Council taken in paragraph 8 of its resolution 2000/22 to conduct a review, without prejudging any outcome, of all existing mechanisms, procedures and programmes within the United Nations concerning indigenous issues, including the Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, with a view to rationalizing activities, avoiding duplication and overlap and promoting effectiveness, and the decision of the Council to hold the review as soon as possible and not later than its substantive session of 2003, as stipulated in its decision 2001/316,

1. Requests the Secretary-General, in connection with draft decisions I to IV recommended by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at its first session for adoption by the Economic and Social Council:

(a) To appoint a secretariat unit, in accordance with the budget procedures established by the General Assembly in its resolution 41/213 of 19 December 1986, within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat in New York, to assist the Forum in carrying out its mandate, as defined in paragraph 2 of Council resolution 2000/22;

(b) To establish a voluntary fund for the Forum for the purpose of funding the implementation of recommendations made by the Forum through the Council, in line with paragraph 2 (a) of Council resolution 2000/22, as well as funding activities under its mandate, as defined in paragraphs 2 (b) and (c) of the same resolution;

2. Encourages the submission of applications of indigenous persons to the Secretariat, and invites the Secretary-General to give broad publicity to vacancies, when available;

3. Invites the organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, including the Inter-Agency Support Group for the Forum, other relevant international and regional organizations and bodies, and indigenous people and indigenous peoples to assist the Forum in carrying out its mandate as enumerated in paragraph 2 of Council resolution 2000/22, including through the provision of staff;

4. Urges Governments, financial institutions and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to consider contributing to the voluntary fund for the Forum to be established by the Secretary-General;

5. Takes note with interest of the proposals, objectives, recommendations and areas of possible future action identified by the Forum in its report on its first session,1 and invites States, organizations of the United Nations system, other relevant international and regional organizations, and indigenous people and indigenous peoples to take them into consideration and, where they so decide, to take action;

6. Decides to authorize an exceptional three-day pre-sessional meeting of the members of the Forum from 7 to 9 May 2003.

77th plenary meeting
18 December 2002