September 13, 2007: The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The 13th of September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has been approved after 143 Member States voted in favour, 11 abstained and four – Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States – voted against the text. The Declaration emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations. It also prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them, and their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic and social development. The Declaration sets out the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues.
The workin group to prepare the draft of the convention will meet again between 26 and 27 of November to in a reflexion session.