General Assembly adopts annual resolution on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

On 16 December 2021, the UN General Assembly took up the report the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, containing one draft resolution of the same name (document A/76/459)

Among other issues, the resolution includes the following:

• The decision to convene a high-level event during 2022, organized by the President of the General Assembly, for the launch of the International Decade of Indigenous Language, inviting Member States to consider establishing national mechanisms with adequate funding for the successful implementation of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, in partnership with Indigenous Peoples.
• It urged Governments and the United Nations, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples through their representatives and institutions, to continue to implement national measures to achieve the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to promote awareness of it throughout society. 
• It stressed the urgent need to strengthen resilience and reduce the vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples to climate change, the General Assembly also supported their leadership, knowledge, technologies, practices and efforts to address such phenomena.
• It expressed concern over the misappropriation and misuse of Indigenous Peoples’ cultural heritage, reaffirming that Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, and that they also have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their intellectual property over such cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.
• It decided to continue the consideration of possible further measures necessary to enhance the participation of Indigenous Peoples’ representatives and institutions in relevant United Nations meetings on issues affecting them at the 77^th session, as originally requested in resolution 71/321.

This resolution was approved by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) on 12 November 2021.  Bolivia and Ecuador were the co-facilitators for the resolution.

See all General Assembly resolutions on Indigenous Peoples >>>