A/HRC/45/22 peoples to participation and to be consulted in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent regarding decisions that affect them were respected. 21. The OHCHR office in Colombia, in coordination with the Office of the Ombudsman of Colombia and the Ministry of the Interior, continued to provide support for communities of 15 indigenous groups in Putumayo, as well as to the Barí people in the Catatumbo region of Norte de Santander. It helped those communities to develop their protocol on free, prior and informed consent, ensuring compatibility with indigenous customary laws, domestic jurisprudence and international standards. The OHCHR office in Colombia also provided assistance to the governors of the departments of Amazonas and Arauca and to indigenous authorities, so as to integrate a rights-based approach into their territorial development plans for the period 2020–2023. 22. The indigenous Xinca Parliament, with technical assistance from the OHCHR office in Guatemala, promoted the implementation by the national authorities of the Constitutional Court decision in relation to the San Rafael mine. The Court had confirmed the suspension of operations of the Escobal mine, operated by Minera San Rafael, in 2018, and required that the Xinca communities be consulted. The country office organized several meetings with indigenous communities to discuss the draft policy on human settlements in protected areas of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, ensuring that international human rights norms and standards were included therein. 23. The OHCHR regional office for Central Africa organized a workshop on techniques and strategies to mobilize rights holders and advocate for the adoption of policies that favoured the participation of marginalized groups in public life, held in Libreville in July 2019. Challenges faced by indigenous people were highlighted. Participants identified key actions to further promote their rights, including advocating for the adoption of specific laws to facilitate the participation of indigenous persons with disabilities in voting in elections. 24. The OHCHR office in Honduras, at the request of the Congress of Honduras, provided advice on international standards to the special commission of Congress charged with the drafting of a bill on free, prior and informed consent. The country office stressed the need for public authorities to engage in a confidence-building process with broad indigenous representation in order to prevent social unrest. After its mission to Honduras, the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises recommended that the right of indigenous peoples to participate in all matters affecting them be recognized as a continuum that requires open and honest interaction between public authorities, the private sector and all members of society. 25. In 2019, representatives of the country office also visited the municipality of Lepaterique and the Lenca indigenous community of Reitoca, which have been affected by the installation of a hydroelectric plant. Representatives of the country office conducted interviews, held meetings with various actors at the local and national levels and private sector actors and expressed their concern about the lack of access to water for indigenous communities. 26. The OHCHR office in Mexico continued to monitor consultation processes with indigenous groups. The office supported the consultation of 16 Zapotec indigenous communities in the State of Oaxaca on community water management. The country office assisted with the consultation process led by the National Water Commission and held meetings in parallel with relevant federal authorities. Representatives of the office attended the historical meeting, held in Oaxaca, at which the parties signed agreements to harmonize national law with traditional law, recognizing the right to water of the indigenous communities and their right to participate in water resources management. 27. The OHCHR office in Mexico also engaged in a dialogue with the National Fund for Tourism Development, which is in charge of the Mayan train project, and the other United Nations entities involved to ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples were taken into consideration in all phases of the project. The construction of 1,460 km of railway, which would pass through five states that are predominantly inhabited by indigenous peoples, is envisaged. 5

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