Introduction

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) was established by the Human Rights Council, the UN’s main human rights body, in 2007 under resolution 6/36 as a subsidiary body of the Council. Its mandate was then amended in September 2016 by Human Rights Council resolution 33/25.

Mandate

The Expert Mechanism provides the Human Rights Council with expertise and advice on the rights of indigenous peoples as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and assists Member States, upon request, in achieving the ends of the Declaration through the promotion, protection and fulfilment of the rights of indigenous peoples.

Membership

The Expert Mechanism is composed of seven independent experts on the rights of indigenous peoples. The experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council which is to give due regard to recognized competence and experience in the rights of indigenous peoples, experts of indigenous origin, and gender balance. Read more about the members of the Expert Mechanism.

Annual Sessions of the Expert Mechanism

The Expert Mechanism holds an annual session, usually in July, in which representatives from states, indigenous peoples, indigenous peoples’ organisations, civil society, inter-governmental organisations and academia take part.