Forty-ninth session
Agenda item 103
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind that one of the purposes of the United Nations,
as set forth in the Charter, is the achievement of international
cooperation in solving international problems of an economic,
social, cultural or humanitarian character and in promoting and
encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Recognizing the value and diversity of the cultures and
the forms of social organization of the world's indigenous people,
Recalling its resolution 48/163 of 21 December 1993, by
which it proclaimed the International Decade of the World's Indigenous
People, commencing on 10 December 1994,
Conscious of the need to improve the economic, social and
cultural situation of the indigenous people, with full respect
for their distinctiveness and their own initiatives,
Reaffirming that the goal of the Decade is to strengthen
international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by
indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment,
development, education and health,
Recalling that, beginning in the first year of the Decade,
one day of every year shall be observed as the International Day
of Indigenous People,
Welcoming the recommendation of the Working Group on Indigenous
Populations of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination
and Protection of Minorities of the Commission on Human Rights
that the International Day be observed every year on 9 August,
that date being the anniversary of the first day of the meeting
of the Working Group in 1982,
Also welcoming the appointment of the Assistant Secretary-General
for Human Rights as Coordinator for the Decade,
Recognizing the importance of considering the establishment
of a permanent forum for indigenous people within the United Nations
system in the framework of the Decade, and recalling that the
Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 1994/28 of 4 March
1994, 1/ requested the Working Group to give priority consideration
to the possible establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous
people,
Recalling its request to the Coordinator to coordinate
the programme of activities for the Decade in full collaboration
and consultation with Governments, competent bodies, the International
Labour Organization and other specialized agencies, and indigenous
and non-governmental organizations,
Recalling also its request to specialized agencies, regional
commissions and other organizations of the United Nations system
to consider with Governments and in partnership with indigenous
people how they can contribute to the success of the Decade, and
welcoming recommendations received in this regard,
Recognizing the importance of consultation and cooperation
with indigenous people in planning and implementing the programme
of activities for the Decade, the need for adequate financial
support from the international community, including support from
within the United Nations and the specialized agencies, and the
need for adequate coordination and communication channels,
Recalling its invitation to indigenous organizations and
other non-governmental organizations to consider the contributions
they can make to the success of the Decade, with a view to presenting
them to the Working Group on Indigenous Populations,
Taking note of Economic and Social Council decision 1992/255
of 20 July 1992, in which the Council requested United Nations
bodies and specialized agencies to ensure that all technical assistance
financed or provided by them was compatible with international
instruments and standards applicable to indigenous people, and
encouraged efforts to promote coordination in this field and greater
participation of indigenous people in the planning and implementation
of projects affecting them,
Convinced that the development of indigenous people within
their countries will contribute to the socio-economic, cultural
and environmental advancement of all the countries of the world,
Recognizing that indigenous people can and should be able
through appropriate mechanisms to make their distinct contributions
to humanity,
Mindful of the relevant recommendations of the World Conference
on Human Rights, the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development and the International Conference on Population
and Development, in particular chapter 26 of Agenda 21 2/ on recognizing
and strengthening the role of indigenous people and their communities,
Welcoming the proposal for an Indigenous Youth Cultural
Olympics to be held at Manila in 1995, in conjunction with the
Decade and the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations,
Determined to promote the enjoyment of the rights of indigenous
people and the full development of their distinct cultures and
communities,
1. Takes note of the preliminary report of the Secretary-General
of 28 September 1994 on a comprehensive programme of action for
the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People 3/ and
the annexes to that report;
2. Decides to adopt the short-term programme of activities
for 1995 contained in annex II to the report of the Secretary-General,
and invites the Commission on Human Rights, at its fifty-first
session, to consider the short-term programme with a view to adjusting
or supplementing it if required;
3. Invites Governments to submit written comments to the
Secretary-General, by the end of August 1995, on the preliminary
report and its annexes, with a view to the preparation of a final
comprehensive programme of action for the Decade, to be submitted
by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly at its fiftieth
session;
4. Decides that the Decade will have an operational focus
to implement its goals and that its theme will be "Indigenous
people: partnership in action";
5. Encourages the Commission on Human Rights to consider
the draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous
peoples, contained in the annex to resolution 1994/45 of 26 August
1994 of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities, 4/ with the participation of representatives
of indigenous people, on the basis of and in accordance with appropriate
procedures to be determined by the Commission, with a view to
achieving the adoption of a draft declaration by the General Assembly
within the Decade;
6. Recognizes the importance of considering the establishment
of a permanent forum for indigenous people within the United Nations
during the Decade, as recommended in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action, 5/ adopted by the World Conference on Human
Rights at Vienna in June 1993, and requests the Commission on
Human Rights to make recommendations in this regard;
7. Recognizes the importance of strengthening the human
and institutional capacity of indigenous people to develop their
own solutions to their problems, and for these purposes recommends
that the United Nations University consider the possibility of
sponsoring, in each region, one or more institutions of higher
education as centres of excellence and the diffusion of expertise,
and invites the Commission on Human Rights to recommend appropriate
means of implementation;
8. Decides that the International Day of the World's Indigenous
People shall be observed every year during the Decade on 9 August,
requests the Secretary-General to support the observance of the
Day, from within existing budgetary resources, and encourages
Governments to observe the Day at the national level;
9. Expresses its appreciation for the work undertaken by
the Goodwill Ambassador, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, and expresses the
hope that she will continue to play an important role in promoting
the Decade;
10. Recommends that special attention be given to improving
the extent and effectiveness of the participation of indigenous
people in planning and implementing the activities for the Decade,
including through the recruitment, where appropriate, by relevant
United Nations bodies and specialized agencies of staff from among
indigenous nationals of Member States, consistent with Article
101 of the Charter of the United Nations, within existing resources,
and through consultation with Governments at the national, regional
and international levels;
11. Recommends for this purpose that a second technical
meeting on the planning of the Decade be convened immediately
prior to the thirteenth session of the Working Group on Indigenous
Populations, to be supported from within existing budgetary resources,
and urges Governments, United Nations bodies, specialized agencies
and, in particular, indigenous people's organizations to participate
actively in that meeting, in accordance with agreed procedures;
12. Decides to consider at a later session the convening
of meetings for planning and review purposes at appropriate intervals
during the Decade, and urges Governments, United Nations bodies,
specialized agencies and, in particular, indigenous people's organizations
to participate actively in such meetings;
13. Recommends that the Secretary-General:
(a) Establish, during the first quarter of 1995, the Voluntary Fund for the Decade and include that Fund in the annual Pledging Conference for Development Activities held at United Nations Headquarters;
(b) Request United Nations representatives in countries where there are indigenous people to promote, through the appropriate channels, greater participation of indigenous people in the planning and implementation of projects affecting them;
(c) Urge relevant United Nations conferences convened during the Decade to promote and facilitate to the extent possible, and as appropriate, the effective input of the views of indigenous people;
(d) Ensure that information about the programme of activities for the Decade and opportunities for indigenous people to participate in those activities is disseminated in all countries and to the greatest possible extent in indigenous languages, to be financed from within existing budgetary resources;
(e) Report to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session on progress made at the national, regional and international levels in accomplishing these objectives;
14. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights to take into account the special concerns of indigenous
people and the goals of the Decade in the fulfilment of his functions;
15. Requests the Assistant Secretary-General for Human
Rights, bearing in mind the contribution that indigenous people
have the capacity to make, to establish a unit within the Centre
for Human Rights of the Secretariat to support its activities
related to indigenous people, in particular to plan, coordinate
and implement activities for the Decade;
16. Invites the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights
to consider the appointment of a fund-raiser who could develop
new sources of funding for the Decade;
17. Requests the Administrative Committee on Coordination,
through its inter-agency process, to consult and coordinate on
the Decade, with a view to assisting the Coordinator of the Decade
to fulfil his function, and to report on activities of the United
Nations system in relation to the Decade to the General Assembly
in each year of the Decade;
18. Invites United Nations financial and development institutions,
operational programmes and specialized agencies, in accordance
with the existing procedures of their governing bodies:
(a) To give increased priority and resources to improving the conditions of indigenous people, with particular emphasis on the needs of those people in developing countries, including by the preparation of specific programmes of action for the implementation of the goals of the Decade, within their areas of competence;
(b) To launch special projects, through appropriate channels and in collaboration with indigenous people, for strengthening their community-level initiatives, and to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise among indigenous people and other relevant experts;
(c) To designate focal points for coordination with the Centre for Human Rights of activities related to the Decade;
19. Encourages Governments to support the Decade by:
(a) Contributing to the United Nations Trust Fund for the Decade;
(b) Preparing relevant programmes, plans and reports in relation to the Decade, in consultation with indigenous people;
(c) Seeking means, in consultation with indigenous people, of giving indigenous people greater responsibility for their own affairs and an effective voice in decisions on matters which affect them;
(d) Establishing national committees or other mechanisms involving indigenous people to ensure that the objectives and activities of the Decade are planned and implemented on the basis of full partnership with indigenous people;
20. Also encourages Governments to consider contributing,
as appropriate, to the Fund for the Development of Indigenous
Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, in support of the
achievement of the goals of the Decade;
21. Appeals to Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations to support the Decade by identifying resources for
activities designed to implement the goals of the Decade, in cooperation
with indigenous people;
22. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its
fiftieth session the item entitled "Programme of activities
of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People".
94th plenary meeting
23 December 1994
1/ See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1994,
Supplement No. 4 (E/1994/24), chap. II, sect. A.
2/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (Vol.I and Vol.I/Corr.1,
Vol.II, Vol.III and Vol.III/Corr.1) (United Nations publication,
Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions adopted
by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II.
3/ A/49/444.
4/ See E/CN.4/1995/2 - E/CN.4/Sub.2/1994/56.
5/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25
June 1993 (A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)), chap. III.