Working Group on Indigenous Populations
Encyclopedia
The Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP) was a subsidiary body within the structure of the United Nations
. It was established in 1982, and was one of the six working groups overseen by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
, the main subsidiary body of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (defunct 2006).
The WGIP had the following mandate:
Following the establishment of the United Nations Human Rights Council
,
the role of the Working Group, which was a substructure of the disbanded United Nations Commission on Human Rights
came under review. Some governments argued, that the working group duplicated the work of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
(UNPFII) and should therefore be discontinued, while indigenous peoples and NGOs pointed out that the UNPFII is not a human rights body and that the Working Group is the only body within the United Nations system that specifically deals with standard-setting concerning the human rights of indigenous peoples.
Eventually, the working group was discontinued and replaced by the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which held its first session in Geneva from 29 September to 3 October 2008.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. It was established in 1982, and was one of the six working groups overseen by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
The Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights was a think tank of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights...
, the main subsidiary body of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (defunct 2006).
The WGIP had the following mandate:
- to review developments pertaining to the promotion and protection of human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
; - to give attention to the evolution of international standards concerning indigenous rights.
Following the establishment of the United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly...
,
the role of the Working Group, which was a substructure of the disbanded United Nations Commission on Human Rights
United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights was a functional commission within the overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006...
came under review. Some governments argued, that the working group duplicated the work of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is the UN's central coordinating body for matters relating to the concerns and rights of the world's indigenous peoples. "Indigenous person" means native, original, first people and aboriginal. There are more than 370 million indigenous...
(UNPFII) and should therefore be discontinued, while indigenous peoples and NGOs pointed out that the UNPFII is not a human rights body and that the Working Group is the only body within the United Nations system that specifically deals with standard-setting concerning the human rights of indigenous peoples.
Eventually, the working group was discontinued and replaced by the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which held its first session in Geneva from 29 September to 3 October 2008.
See also
- Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous PeoplesDeclaration on the Rights of Indigenous PeoplesThe United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly during its 62nd session at UN Headquarters in New York City on 13 September 2007....
- Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 is an International Labour Organization Convention, also known as ILO-convention 169, or C169. It is the major binding international convention concerning indigenous peoples, and a forerunner of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.It...
External links
- Archived version of the Working Group's home page
- Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the successor of the Working Group
- UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)