United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations

The Fund for Indigenous Populations was established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 40/131 of 13 December 1985, with the purpose of assisting representatives of indigenous communities and organizations to participate in the deliberations of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights by providing them with financial assistance, funded by means of voluntary contributions from Governments, non-governmental organizations and other private or public entities.

The General Assembly further expanded the mandate of the Fund in its resolution 56/140 of 19 December 2001 by deciding that the Fund should also be used to assist representatives of indigenous communities and organizations in attending, as observers, the sessions of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/pfii).

In accordance with resolution 40/131, the Secretary-General reports every two years to the General Assembly on the activities of the Fund. The last report by the Secretary-General is contained in document A/61/376 on the Status of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations. Relevant information is also available in the Note by the Secretariat to the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.4/2006/4.

• Board of Trustees

The Fund is administered in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations by the Secretary-General assisted by a Board of Trustees. The mandate of the Board is to advise the Secretary-General on the use of funds, through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Board is composed of five persons with relevant experience on indigenous issues, who serve in their personal capacity. The members of the Board are appointed by the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, for a three-year renewable term. At least one member of the Board of Trustees shall be a representative of a widely recognized organization of indigenous people.

The members of the Board of Trustees who have been appointed by the Secretary-General for the period 2006-2008, are themselves indigenous persons: Mr. Lars Anders Baer (Sami, Sweden), Mr. Nadir Bekirov (Crimean Tatar, Ukraine), Mr. Ahmed Mahiou (Amazigh, Algeria), Ms. Jannie Lasimbang (Kadazan, Malaysia) and Ms. Tarcila Rivera Zea (Quechua, Peru). Mr. Nadir Bekirov was elected as the Chairman in 2006.

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