Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) is a subsidiary expert mechanism of the Human Rights Council. 

It provides studies and research-based expert advice to the Human Rights Council. EMRIP is composed of five experts. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) acts as the Secretariat of the Expert Mechanism.

The resolution establishing the EMRIP also requests the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people on to attend and to contribute to its annual meeting. 

The Expert Mechanism meets annually, and has held its first two sessions in 2008 and 2009.

Third Session of EMRIP

The third session pf EMRIP took place in July 2010 at the United Nations Office in Geneva.

On the agenda was the 'right to participate in decision-making' and a discussion of the  Progress report on the study on indigenous peoples and the right to participate in decision-making

Statements to 3rd session of EMRIP by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples organisations and the Australian Government can be accessed from the   EMRIP-3-session folder.

EMRIP Video 

Video: Brian Wyatt presenting an intervention an EMRIP, November 2008

Who are the experts?

Experts for the EMRIP 2008-2010 period are:

• Ms. Catherine Odimba Kombe (Congo)
• Ms. Jannie Lasimbang ( Malaysia)
• Mr. John Bernhard Henriksen ( Norway)
• Mr. José Carlos Morales Morales (Costa Rica)
• Mr. José Mencio Molintas ( Philippines)

Where do I find funding to attend EMRIP?

The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations provides funding for indigenous people to attend EMRIP.

More information can be found on the ‘Find Funding’ page

How do I register to attend?

You need to register to attend each session of EMRIP. Further information on how to register can be found on the OHCHR website.

More information

Please read on for more information on:

2^nd Session of EMRIP on Education

2^nd Session of EMRIP

The UN Human Rights Council's Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) held its second session from 10 to 14 August 2009 in Geneva. This session focused on education.

The 2^nd Session included a dialogue with participants on a draft study on lessons learned and challenges to achieve the implementation of the right of indigenous peoples to education.

This dialogue informed the completed study which was presented to the Human Rights Council at the 12^th Session (14 September – 2 October).

The meeting also allowed participants to discuss new ways to approach and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (hyperlink to the Declaration), focusing on the implementation at the regional and national levels. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, Professor S. James Anaya, attended the session and held separate meetings with participants.

The meeting coincided with the International Day of the World's Indigenous People (9 August).