Geneva, 19 July 2005
By UNPO Secretariat Team

The discussion of the future of the existence of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Peoples has become a common conversation at the annual meeting. This year it is being closely connected to the major discussions on UN reform that is dominating the agenda of the United Nations leading to the September meeting in New York.

While the indigenous peoples of the world are meeting on the third floor of Palais des Nations there is another significant session taking place right across the hall.

The World Federation of the United Nations Association in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is hosting a Seminar on the United Nations Commission on Human Rights – An Evolution featuring key participants for the reform movement.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louis Arbour, that has not participated in the UN WGIP so far, opened the meeting supporting the reform movement claiming a possibility for improvement in the protection and promotion of human rights.

“It is the boldest and most imaginative reform in the history of the UN,” Arbour said.

Arbour’s support was based on the leadership of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan placing human rights as a priority and core component of the United Nations.

“This is the first time that centrality of human rights has been articulated with conspicuous clarity by a leader of the UN giving guidance for the future of the UN,” she said.

Arbour is attempting to ensure that the UN OHCHR will be the engine for the changes concerning human rights in the UN. Based on Annan’s report In Larger Freedom, there are three areas for action. The first is the claimed upgrade of the Commission on Human Rights to a Human Rights Council. The second is preparation of plan of action by Arbour’s office for strategic planning and implementation. Finally, there was a call for fundamental reform of the existing seven treaty bodies toward a more unified human rights machinery for state reporting.

“It is important we celebrate the contribution of the past,” Arbour exclaimed. “As much as the CHR has contributed to a normative framework but it has fallen short for adequate implementation. The shortcomings are in the area of implementation. In that spirit, the SG has called for the upgrading of a CHR situated higher and reflecting the centrality of HR with security and development.”

Arbour examined the various challenges relating to the international human rights institutions and implementation. She also noted there must be an examination of states role in human rights machinery.

“In order to address proper implementation, we must distinguish lack of capacity and lack of will,” she said. “It depends on deficiency of lack of political will or merely to lack of institutional strength, resources and capacity.”

The High Commissioner for Human Rights main call was for a strategy to move beyond a normative framework to implementation to make a difference in the daily lives of people.

While the speakers speak positively about the UN reform, indigenous peoples still have concerns about the lack of specific details of reform such as composition of a Human Rights Council. There is also sufficient concern about the core motivation for reform and the countries serving role as catalysts for reform. Is the heart of the human rights reform movement to guarantee the human rights of indigenous peoples in international law and political practice or for states to weaken the existing mechanisms for people participation.

One side panel event is asking if the proposed changes will put a stop to human rights abuses or facilitate a power shift in the geopolitical global control of international institutions.

It is necessary for indigenous peoples to actively participate in the latest round of UN reform to ensure that the voice of indigenous peoples can provide wisdom and possible paths to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights. Indigenous peoples have created some of the most participatory processes and mechanisms at the UN and must once again be an active advocate in the upcoming decision-making.