AG/RES. 1780 (XXXI-O/01)

AMERICAN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

(Resolution adopted at the third plenary session, held on June 5, 2001) 

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1022 (XIX-O/89), AG/RES. 1479 (XXVII-O/97), AG/RES. 1549 (XXVIII-O/98), and AG/RES. 1708 (XXX-O/00);

CONSIDERING the priority attached to the indigenous issue at the hemispheric level and the importance of the discussions on the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples conducted in the course of the Organization’s work;

CONVINCED of the need to continue supporting efforts to reach a prompt and successful conclusion to negotiations on the aforementioned Draft Declaration;

RECOGNIZING the legal progress made on indigenous matters in the Hemisphere as various states have incorporated the multiethnic, pluricultural, and multilingual nature of the respective societies into their constitutional and legislative systems;

BEARING IN MIND the commitments made on this subject by the Heads of State and Government in the Declaration of Quebec City and the Plan of Action of the Third Summit of the Americas;

NOTING WITH SATISFACTION that, pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1708 (XXX-O/00), the Working Group to Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples met in Washington D.C., from April 2 to 6, 2001, with ample participation by indigenous representatives from the Hemisphere, and made considerable progress;

FURTHER NOTING the conclusions and recommendations of the Hemispheric Conclave of Representatives of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, held in Guatemala, and the Indigenous Peoples Summit of the Americas, held in Ottawa, Canada, both in 2001; and

NOTING WITH SATISFACTION the report of the Chair of the Working Group to Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (GT/DADIN/doc.23/01 rev. 1),

RESOLVES:

1. To request the Permanent Council to continue considering the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

2. To request the Permanent Council to study the possibility of establishing a specific body under the aegis of the Permanent Council to serve as the appropriate setting for a high-level discussion of the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as it relates to the mandate contained in the Declaration of Quebec City and the Plan of Action of Third Summit of the Americas. The mandate of that body will be to continue consideration of the above-mentioned Draft Declaration until it is adopted and for that purpose to hold at least one special working meeting no later than the second week of March 2002 and before the thirty-second regular session of the General Assembly, in accordance with the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.

3. To recommend to the Permanent Council that it continue pursuing mechanisms for the accreditation and the appropriate means of participation in its deliberations of representatives of indigenous peoples so that their observations and suggestions may be taken into account.

4. To recommend to the Permanent Council the establishment of a specific fund consisting of voluntary contributions to support the participation of representatives of indigenous peoples in meetings related to the Draft Declaration. Mechanisms should also be sought to ensure indigenous participation in the utilization of the fund.

5. To request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Juridical Committee, the Inter-American Indian Institute, and other international agencies and entities to provide the support and advice required for the work of the Permanent Council.

6. To request the Permanent Council to present a report to the General Assembly at its thirty-second regular session on the implementation of this resolution.