Barsh, Russel Lawrence

This article presents an overview of the initial political reading of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the Commission on Human Rights Working Group. Chronicling the nine year process leading to the current Draft Declaration, the author recounts the main obstacles encountered in gathering international support for Indigenous peoples rights. The author suggests the importance of this Working Group's requirement of full participation by Indigenous organizations and recommendation for immediate adoption of the draft document.

This comprehensive article explores the main issues arising in the pursuit of international Indigenous rights. The premise of the author is that the development of Indigenous rights in the international arena is contingent on understanding Indigenous peoples as subjects of international law, with rights and duties, rather than simply objects of international law. The first part of the article presents a thorough overview of the main legal and political issues