A crucial component of the Special Rapporteur's mandate is on-site country visits. These visits constitute an excellent opportunity for analysing and understanding in situ the situation of indigenous peoples.

According to the existing procedure, country visits require official invitations from the Governments concerned. During these visits, the Special Rapporteur meets with national authorities, including members of the judiciary and of legislative bodies; UN and other international agencies; civil society and non-governmental organizations. Meeting with indigenous peoples and organizations is also a key element of the Special Rapporteur’s visits. See Terms of Reference for Fact-Finding Missions by Special Procedures.

The reports on these visits, published annually as addenda to the Special Rapporteur’s report to the Commission on Human Rights/Human Rights Council (Add. 2 and ff.), include an assessment of the relevant institutional and legal framework concerning indigenous peoples in the countries visited, as well as a general description of the main issues affecting the human rights of these peoples. The report include a number of conclusions and recommendations addressed to the Government and to other actors.

On the activities carried out to monitor the implementation of the recommendations included in the Special Rapporteur’s country reports, see Follow-up of recommendations

Country reports