The Permanent Forum takes note of the UNDP Global Programme for Electoral Cycle Support initiative, with its focus on indigenous women and youth in Latin America, and appreciates the contributions provided by donors to ensure the success of the initiative. The Forum recommends that Member States, UN-Women and UNICEF provide financial support for this important initiative for indigenous women and youth.
The Permanent Forum is concerned by the killings, violence and harassment targeted at indigenous human rights defenders, which are also frequently committed with impunity. The Permanent Forum is concerned that, despite international condemnation, these criminal acts of violence persist, especially in a small number of countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, ILO and UNESCO convene an expert workshop in cooperation with the Permanent Forum on the situation of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation in order to develop strategies and programmes for the protection of their rights and territories and report to the Permanent Forum thereon at its next session.
The Permanent Forum calls on the chairs of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals to address inequalities through the sustainable development goals, with a special focus on indigenous peoples, in order to uphold human rights for all, eliminate discrimination, reduce inequalities and ensure that no one is left behind.
The Forum recommends that Governments and international organizations encourage indigenous peoples to participate fully in the work of reconciliation and truth commissions. The Forum welcomes the contribution of a paper by the Division for the Advancement of Women on the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (see E/C.19/2004/CRP.7) and recommends that the Committee enhance its monitoring of the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women regarding indigenous women, and that it prepare and adopt a general comment on indigenous women, with the full participation of indigenous women.
The Permanent Forum notes the progress made by the UNDP Regional Initiative on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Development and the ILO Programme to Promote ILO Convention No. 169 (PRO-169) projects in the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. The Forum welcomes the decision by UNDP to establish a similar programme in Latin America and calls on UNDP to expand its activities in this manner in Africa.
The Permanent Forum requests that the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people undertake a study on the rights of urban indigenous peoples and migration, paying particular attention to their ability to exercise and enjoy their economic and social rights, and that the study be considered at the eighth session of the Permanent Forum. The themes that could be considered in the study include cultural identity, equitable access to essential services, the challenges facing indigenous youth and border issues.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the intent of Nicaragua in drafting legislation on territorial regulation of Indigenous territories. The Permanent Forum urges Nicaragua to establish dialogue with the legitimate Indigenous authorities to initiate and conclude drafting of the legislation as soon as possible, in order to prevent repetition of the recent gross human rights violations against the Mayangna Sauni and Wilu communities, allegedly committed by armed settlers. It further urges Nicaragua to ensure that perpetrators are held to account through the justice system for the murders committed and for the destruction of property. Impunity is not an option.
The Permanent Forum calls upon all States to ensure that their political institutions and structures are not used as a reason to relieve the State of its responsibility to implement international human rights obligations in relation to the rights of indigenous peoples.
The Forum recognizes and applauds other indigenous fellowship programmes, in particular the fellowship programme established and funded by the regular budget of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the newly established fellowship programme of the ILO. Furthermore, the Forum particularly recognizes the capacity-building efforts of the indigenous fellowship programme of the Office and requests that, in order to complement their Geneva based training, the indigenous fellows at the Office should participate, on an annual basis, in the sessions of the Forum. Further consideration should also be given to provide some time for training at the secretariat of the Forum, during non-sessional periods.
In this connection, and in respect of articles 41 and 42 of the Declaration, the Permanent Forum trusts that, at its ninety-eighth session, in 2009, the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards of the International Labour Conference will pay due attention to the cases of violation of ILO Convention No. 169, which have been signalled by the Committee of Experts, in the light of the Declaration, and urges States to respond promptly to the reports of the Committee of Experts.
The Permanent Forum recalls its recommendations contained in paragraphs 52, 54, 55 and 58 of the report on its seventh session (ibid., chap. I, sect. B) and expresses concern for the human rights of indigenous peoples in the context of Non Self-Governing Territory issues and those seeking reinscription as a Non-Self-Governing Territory, and calls upon the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and other mandate holders to examine and report on the impact on the human rights of those indigenous peoples in that regard.