A/HRC/15/34
Lakes Region also continued to provide ongoing technical advice on the electoral process,
including their political rights and participation, as well as their economic, social and
cultural rights.
32.
In addition, OHCHR Regional Office for Central America in Panama assisted
United Nations country teams in their efforts to further integrate the promotion and
protection of indigenous peoples into their work. It organized in Nicaragua a specific
training for country team staff members on the United Nations Development Group
Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues (in partnership with other United Nations
agencies) and a training session for trainers on the right to food, focusing on indigenous
peoples and Afro-descendants, for 27 staff from the country team in Panama.
33.
Many OHCHR field presences facilitated the use of human rights treaty bodies.
OHCHR-Cambodia has helped indigenous peoples and organizations to submit a parallel
report to the Committee on the Elimination Racial Discrimination. The Committee’s
recommendations were translated into Khmer and the Office also supported related followup activities. OHCHR-Mexico helped a number of indigenous individuals and
organizations draft communications to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people.
34.
By providing technical advice, the OHCHR Regional Office for Central America
strengthened the capacity of indigenous communities and organizations to bring allegations
of human rights violations to the attention of the Special Rapporteur and the inter-American
system for the protection of human rights. OHCHR-Nepal provided an introduction to the
universal periodic review process for a large number of indigenous peoples and ensured
that indigenous peoples’ issues were integrated in the national report by supporting
consultations on indigenous issues at all levels. It also helped establish a Durban Review
Conference follow-up committee – composed of marginalized groups including indigenous
peoples – which prepared a separate stakeholders’ submission to the universal periodic
review.
4.
Awareness-raising tools
35.
Several field presences produced quality materials to raise awareness of the
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and promote better understanding thereof
and contribute to the full application of its provisions. OHCHR-Mexico initiated a study on
the rights of indigenous peoples to be consulted in the context of large-scale development
projects. The study, undertaken in consultation with indigenous peoples, federal and local
authorities, academics and United Nations agencies, aimed at identifying practical
guidelines for the implementation in Mexico of the right to be consulted and should be
made available at the end of 2010.
36.
The Human Rights Adviser for the Great Lakes Region, together with the Office of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), carried out an extensive
study to identify stateless persons in Burundi. The study has helped to further raise
awareness of the need to provide the Batwa community with national identification
documents, thereby ensuring their enjoyment of civic and political rights and access to
public services.
37.
In order to disseminate information on the human rights of indigenous peoples, the
OHCHR Regional Office for Central Africa continued to manage an Internet information
network for more than 4,000 individuals, mainly indigenous leaders from Central Africa
and other countries who receive and exchange information on indigenous and minority
issues in the subregion. Information was circulated and shared on indigenous fellowships at
OHCHR, local NGO initiatives for the promotion of indigenous rights, invitations to
seminars, sharing of reports and calls for proposals. The Office also participated in the
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