The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions Pressing of noses (Hongi), a form of greeting in Maori culture, signifies sharing of the life force and the breath of life. UN Photo/Evan Schneider. 4. ENGAGING WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES178 It is critical that NHRIs engage effectively with indigenous peoples and their organizations when undertaking work to advance the protection, promotion and realization of indigenous peoples’ human rights. Without meaningful engagement of indigenous peoples and their organizations, it will not be possible for NHRIs to adequately address the human rights issues that confront indigenous peoples. The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights has established an advisory committee to help guide and inform its activities. The advisory committee consists of a broad spectrum of ombudsmen, interest groups and participants from civil society. The advisory committee nominates two representatives from civil society to the Centre’s board. A representative of the Sami Parliament sits on the advisory committee.178 4.1. HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH To be effective, programmes must account for and strengthen human rights standards, as well as indigenous peoples’ cultures and aspirations.179 In essence, NHRIs should adopt a human rights-based approach to programme development. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action180 affirms the interdependent nature of human rights and development. United Nations agencies subsequently adopted a common understanding of a human rights-based approach to development. This common understanding can provide NHRIs with a useful frame of reference in developing human rights-based approaches to guide their own work. 178 Further information is available at www.jus.uio.no/smr/english/about/national-institution/about/advisory-committee.html. 179 United Nations Development Group, Guidelines on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues (2009), p. 26. 180 General Assembly resolution 48/121. 52 | Chapter 6: Accessibility of NHRIs to indigenous peoples