Indigenous peoples lack recognition, and face poor implementation of their rights and flagrant violations of their rights and their lands, while the need for their free, prior and informed consent and the right to autonomy of self-government is disregarded by local businesses and transnational corporations in mining, logging, and oil and gas extraction, among other sectors. The territories and resources of indigenous peoples are seized and livelihoods are destroyed to the detriment of their knowledge, cultures and languages. In that respect, it is important to remind Member States of their duty to protect.
The Permanent Forum recommends to ILO and its Governing Body that a technical expert meeting be organized to consider the drafting of a recommendation to supplement the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Human Rights Council consider the development of a framework for the implementation of article 37 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as adopted by the Human Rights Council, to assess implementation of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States and indigenous peoples in all regions of the world.
The Permanent Forum thanks the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional of the Government of Spain, the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, the Swedish International Biodiversity Programme and IFAD for their financial support for the regional, thematic and international seminars on indicators relevant to indigenous peoples, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Millennium Development Goals, and urges other donors to contribute to this important work.
The Permanent Forum urges that discussions at the forthcoming summit to renew the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, scheduled to be held in Brazil in August 2023, fully involve Indigenous Peoples from the Amazon region in determining a road map that addresses their situation, including cross-border illegal activities and organized crime.
The Permanent Forum recommends that Canada operationalize the Declaration by passing Bill C-262 (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act) as a significant step towards reconciliation.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the United Nations system continue to build the capacities of indigenous peoples’ organizations and to develop their knowledge and skills to have their rights respected, protected and fulfilled.
The Permanent Forum strongly urges the General Assembly to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Furthermore, the Permanent Forum will promote a constructive dialogue with Governments on the achievements, challenges and future action required in relation to indigenous peoples’ issues in each country under the Declaration. Such dialogue will take place periodically and enlist the participation of indigenous organizations and the United Nations system. The discussion will create an enabling environment of cooperation at the national and international levels, aiming at practical results on the ground.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States include representatives of indigenous peoples in the national consultation process for the preparation of national reports to be submitted to the Human Rights Council for universal periodic review.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism pay particular attention to the impact of national security laws and anti-terrorism laws on indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system, in collaboration with indigenous peoples ’ organizations, monitor the high levels of global violence and threats directed at indigenous women human rights defenders. The Forum calls for an immediate halt to the criminalization,
incarceration, intimidation, coercion and assassination of, and death threats to, all indigenous human and environmental rights defenders.