23 May 1986

19th plenary meeting

Study of the problem of discrimination against indigenous populations

The Economic and Social Council,

Mindful of its resolution 1982/34 of 7 May 1982, by which it authorized the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to establish annually a pre-sessional working group on indigenous populations to review developments pertaining to the promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous populations, giving special attention to the evolution of standards,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 40/131 of 13 December 1985, by which the Assembly decided to establish the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations with a view to securing a broad geographical representation of indigenous organizations in the future work of the Working Group,

Convinced of the need for the widest possible exchange of views in this field among Governments, specialized agencies, organizations of indigenous peoples and other non-governmental organizations,

Decides that the Working Group on Indigenous Populations shall meet for up to eight working days before the annual sessions of the Sub-Commission, the first three working days to be devoted to unserviced meetings for the purpose of the preliminary drafting of international standards.