A/HRC/36/22 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 33/13 on human rights and indigenous peoples, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to submit to it an annual report on the rights of indigenous peoples containing information on relevant developments in human rights bodies and mechanisms. It also requested the High Commissioner to report on activities undertaken by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at Headquarters and in the field that contribute to the promotion of, respect for and full application of the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 2. The present report focuses on the work of OHCHR on the rights of indigenous peoples, including the participation of indigenous peoples in United Nations processes and support provided to the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The report provides illustrative examples of OHCHR activities and initiatives undertaken at Headquarters and by field offices that contribute to the realization of the rights of indigenous peoples. It also outlines recent developments within United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms, including treaty bodies, and the activities of special procedure mandate holders, as far as their work pertains to indigenous peoples. II. Participation of indigenous peoples in United Nations processes 3. Every year, OHCHR supports indigenous peoples in improving their knowledge of and participation in United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms. 4. During the reporting period, 29 indigenous peoples’ representatives (13 women and 16 men) from Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, French Guyana, Guatemala, India, Israel, Kenya, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Russian Federation, Rwanda, Thailand and the United States of America participated in the annual indigenous fellowship programme, which took place in Geneva between June and July 2016. The fellows were introduced to issues of particular relevance to indigenous peoples, such as the human rights of indigenous peoples in the context of business and extractive industries, international financial institutions and women’s rights. All the fellows attended the ninth session of the Expert Mechanism, at which they organized their own side event on the topic of indigenous perspectives on the right to health. Moreover, a national fellow worked with the OHCHR Senior Human Rights Adviser in Nairobi. 5. OHCHR also organized a senior indigenous fellowship programme over the course of four months to provide on-the-job training. In 2016, the senior indigenous fellow came from Australia and was involved in the facilitation of events and the preparation of analytical briefs, reports and speeches. She also participated in trainings on critical human rights issues and attended the sessions of the Human Rights Council and the Expert Mechanism. 6. Over the past 31 years, the mandate of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples has been expanded seven times, in order to support the participation of indigenous peoples in an increasing number of human rights mechanisms. In 2016, the Fund allowed the allocation of 98 grants to support the participation of representatives from indigenous peoples’ organizations and communities in sessions of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (25), the Expert Mechanism (20), the Human Rights Council (2), including its universal periodic review (1), and of treaty bodies (9). 7. The Fund also supported meetings convened to follow up the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, including the General Assembly consultation process aiming to enhance the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives in 2