Tucson (13 February 2013) – At the University of Arizona College of Law, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, engaged in a dialogue with indigenous leaders and experts to exchange ideas and comments on the findings contained in his report on the situation of indigenous peoples in the United States, which was published in August 2012. Among the issues discussed during the dialogue were the opportunities and challenges in the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples domestically; the need for further dissemination of the Declaration and the Special Rapporteur’s report among indigenous peoples and general society; ongoing concerns over the protection of indigenous traditional lands and sacred sites; the implementation of the principles of consultation and free, prior and informed consent; and ways at achieving reconciliation.
See the United States country report here. See the web-cast of the dialogue here.