The Special Rapporteur gave the keynote address at the Commonwealth International Human Rights Day expert panel entitled “Strengthened Rights Protection for Indigenous Peoples“, which was organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat to commemorate International Human Rights Day, on 10 December 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland. In his statement, Professor Anaya emphasized that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples presents the way forward for engagement with indigenous peoples in a succession of steps in the process of shedding the legacies of colonization. He urged the Commonwealth to reflect on the Declaration with a view towards developing measures to implement its terms within Commonwealth countries.
The Commonwealth is an association of 54 countries that have historical links and that now work together in various areas of shared concern. See www.thecommonwealth.org