29 August 2014: UN General Assembly President John Ashe has circulated the draft Outcome Document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP). Ashe writes that the draft Outcome reflects informal consultations on 18-19 August 2014, which had “active participation of Member States and Indigenous Peoples,” and that the phase involving both parties is now concluded.

The final phase in preparing for the WCIP is intergovernmental negotiation among Member States, he writes, for which the draft Outcome will serve as the basis.

By the draft Outcome Document, WCIP participants would commit to: empower, cooperate and coordinate with indigenous peoples to disaggregate data and utilize culturally appropriate indicators of indigenous peoples’ well-being to address the situation and needs of indigenous people; improve access to sexual and reproductive health and reduce rates of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), by increasing resources and focusing on prevention; support the empowerment and capacity-building of indigenous youth for participation in decision-making processes; and support the empowerment of indigenous women.

The document requests the UN Secretary-General, in consultation and cooperation with indigenous peoples and Member States, to develop a System-wide Action Plan within existing resources, to ensure a coherent approach to the full realization of the provisions of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP), and invites the Secretary-General to consider appointing a UN official at the highest possible level.

The Draft Outcome further requests the Secretary-General to present concrete proposals to the 70th Session of the General Assembly (UNGA) on the direct participation of indigenous peoples’ and their representative institutions at the UN, and to include a specific focus on indigenous peoples in the final report on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

It also invites the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to organize a high-level panel discussion in conjunction with indigenous peoples during its Coordination and Management meetings, to review the policies and procedures on indigenous peoples within ECOSOC subsidiary bodies.

Informal, intergovernmental consultations were announced for 3-5 September 2014 in New York, US, co-chaired by Andrej Logar, Permanent Representative of Slovenia, and Marjon Kamara, Permanent Representative of Liberia. [UNGA President’s Letter & Draft Outcome Document]