26 September 2011

DRAFT AMERICAN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES


Organization of American States

AG/RES. 2674 (XLI-O/11)
(Adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 7, 2011)


THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING resolutions AG/RES. 1022 (XIX-O/89), AG/RES. 1479 (XXVII-O/97), AG/RES. 1549 (XXVIII-O/98), AG/RES. 1610 (XXIX-O/99), AG/RES. 1708 (XXX-O/00), AG/RES. 1780 (XXXI-O/01), AG/RES. 1851 (XXXII-O/02), AG/RES. 1919 (XXXIII-O/03), AG/RES. 2029 (XXXIV-O/04), AG/RES. 2073 (XXXV-O/05), AG/RES. 2234 (XXXVI-O/06), AG/RES. 2294 (XXXVII-O/07), AG/RES. 2368 (XXXVIII-O/08), AG/RES. 2498 (XXXIX-O/09), and AG/RES. 2565 (XL-O/10);

HAVING SEEN the report of the Chair of the Working Group to Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on the activities carried out in 2010-2011 (GT/DADIN/doc.409/11), including the Thirteenth Meeting of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus, and the report on that meeting (GT/DADIN/doc.406/11);

UNDERSCORING the results of the Thirteenth Meeting of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus on the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, held in Washington, D.C., United States of America, from January 18 to 20, 2011, and in particular the concerted efforts of the states parties and the Indigenous Caucus to move forward in their quest for points of consensus;

ACKNOWLEDGING WITH SATISFACTION the outstanding efforts of the Working Group during this period through its Chair; and

RECOGNIZING the importance of contributions to the Specific Fund to Support the Elaboration of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which enable effective participation by indigenous representatives in the meetings of negotiation,

RESOLVES: 

1.  To reaffirm the will and the commitment of the OAS member states to the process surrounding the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People

2.   To renew the mandate of the Working Group to Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to continue holding its Meetings of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus, so as to complete the drafting of the Declaration, on the basis of the “Record of the Current Status of the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” hereinafter “Record of the Current Status” (GT/DADIN/doc.334/08 rev. 6), and taking into consideration the “Compendium of Proposals of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus Held by the Working Group,” issued by the Thirteenth Meeting of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus (GT/DADIN/doc.255/06 add. 4), and other pertinent documents of the Working Group

3.      To request the Permanent Council to instruct the Working Group to:

a.         Hold up to two three-day Meetings of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus prior to the  forty-second regular session of the General Assembly;

b.        Convene the Meetings of Negotiations in the Quest for Points of Consensus the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples three months in advance; and

c.         Take the appropriate measures to ensure the effective participation in these meetings of member states and representatives of the indigenous peoples 

4.                   To invite the member states to conduct consultations or dialogues on the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples with the respective indigenous peoples. 

5.                   To request the Selection Board of the Specific Fund to continue to work according to the principles of transparency established in the resolution CP/RES. 951 (1691/09) “Specific Fund to Support the Elaboration of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” 

6.                   To thank the member states, permanent observers, and institutions for their valuable contributions to the Specific Fund, which will make it possible to hold the meetings suggested for the period covered by this resolution; and to invite all the states and institutions to continue supporting the purposes of the Fund through their contributions. 

7.                   To request the General Secretariat and the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization to continue to lend their valuable support to the process of drafting the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and to thank them for their ongoing contribution to that process. 

8.                   To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its forty-second regular session on the implementation of this resolution, the execution of which shall be subject to the availability of financial resources in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources.