United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous IssuesThe International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, being celebrated between 1995-2004, has brought with it advances such as the establishment of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The theme for the Decade is ‘indigenous people partnership in action’. The main objective is the strengthening of international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, education and health. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people may also examine these issues. The UN, its partners and indigenous peoples have developed a program of work that sets standards in regards to indigenous peoples and their rights. An equally important process has been to review developments regularly. The Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP) has attended to both these activities since 1982. Includes a link to the draft declaration on "The Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”