A/HRC/21/24 V. Possible steps to promote the participation at the United Nations of recognized indigenous peoples’ representatives 56. In the present section, a broad outline is provided of possible steps to facilitate the development of procedures to promote the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives in the United Nations, beyond the bodies in which they currently participate, including the Economic and Social Council, the Human Rights Council and meetings of the General Assembly and its committees when they consider issues of special relevance to indigenous peoples. 57. It is suggested that, before such procedures may be considered and adopted by any intergovernmental organs of the United Nations, any preliminary or preparatory process that explores the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives should consider a number of important questions, such as: (a) Criteria for determining eligibility of indigenous peoples’ representatives for accreditation as such; (b) Nature and membership of the body to determine the eligibility of indigenous peoples’ representatives for accreditation; (c) Details of the process, including the information required to be submitted to obtain accreditation as an indigenous peoples’ representative; (d) Procedures that will make the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives meaningful and effective.4 58. Consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and in the interests of enabling indigenous peoples to participate in matters that affect them, it is important that indigenous peoples have the opportunity to be actively involved in the determination of the above issues, in partnership with Member States, before a procedure is finalized and adopted by any intergovernmental organs of the United Nations. 59. Such a process could take various forms. For example, the President of the General Assembly might consider appointing facilitators to lead an open-ended consultation process involving, among others, Member States, indigenous peoples’ representatives and relevant mandates of the United Nations, such as the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, to discuss possible procedural and institutional steps and selection criteria. A recent precedent for indigenous representation in consultations was set when the President of the General Assembly appointed a representative of a Member State and a representative of indigenous peoples as co-facilitators to determine the modalities for the 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, following the request by the General Assembly in its resolution 65/198. Another possible step might be the establishment by the General Assembly of a working group to provide it with guidance on possible procedural and institutional steps and selection criteria to enable participation by indigenous peoples’ representatives in United Nations bodies. A related option could be for the General Assembly to mandate the Economic and Social Council or the Human Rights Council to establish such a working group in the first instance. 4 14 Such a consultation process on appropriate accreditation procedures was authorized by the Commission on Human Rights to finalize the modalities for permitting national human rights institutions to participate in its work.