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Addressee: Member States
Paragraph Number: 64
Session: 15 (2016)
Full Text:
The religious, spiritual and cultural sites of indigenous peoples, including the Ktunaxa Nation in Canada, the Aboriginal people of Australia, the Maya of Guatemala and the Amazigh peoples, continue to face destruction. This has profoundly negative impacts on indigenous peoples, including affecting their sacred practices. Consistent with articles 11, 12, 13, 19, 25, 31 and 32 of the United Nations Declaration and paragraphs 20 and 27 of the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, the Permanent Forum recommends that, in their national action plans, strategies and other measures, States:
(a) Take effective measures to ensure that indigenous peoples’ spiritual and cultural sites are protected;
(b) Ensure that, consistent with article 32 of the United Nations Declaration, indigenous peoples are not forced to defend these rights against proposed development projects or through litigation in courts;
(c) Actively resolve disputes directly with indigenous peoples, consistent with article 19 of the United Nations Declaration, given that these rights constitute critical elements of the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous peoples.
Area of Work: Culture, Human Rights
Addressee: Member States
Paragraph Number: 40
Session: 15 (2016)
Full Text:
Consistent with the commitments in the outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (General Assembly resolution 69/2) and the standards for indigenous peoples’ survival, dignity and well-being contained in the United Nations Declaration, the Permanent Forum recommends that States fully engage indigenous peoples in good-faith negotiations of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements on the basis of the unequivocal recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights to lands, territories and resources and to fully reject the extinguishment of indigenous rights in form or result. Furthermore, the Forum recommends that States address the call for full and effective redress for the loss of lands, territories and resources and State breaches of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements. The Forum reiterates the urgent need for States to institute, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, high-level oversight bodies to guide and oversee the conduct of negotiations and implementation of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements in the light of ongoing negotiation and implementation issues. Building on the recommendations advanced at the eleventh session of the Forum, States are encouraged to support the resolution of disputes between indigenous peoples by providing financial and other methods of support to achieve peaceful resolution.
Area of Work: Human rights, Lands and Resources
Addressee: Member States, WIPO
Paragraph Number: 61
Session: 20 (2021)
Full Text:
Acknowledging the normative work of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Permanent Forum recommends that Member States and WIPO ensure protection against the misappropriation of the intellectual property of indigenous peoples. Member States must also enact laws and adopt policies and mechanisms to protect indigenous peoples’ intellectual property from misappropriation, including the wrongful use of their cultural heritage and traditional knowledge (including traditional knowledge of nature) and traditional cultural expressions (such as oral traditions, rites, literatures, graphic designs, textile designs, traditional sports and games, and visual and performing arts) and the manifestation of indigenous science and technology (including human and genetic resources, seeds and medicines).
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Paragraph Number: 131
Session: 4 (2005)
Full Text:
The Forum recommends that UNDP establish regional initiatives on indigenous peoples and strengthen further its HURIST program in all regions of the world that include all the countries of each region with an indigenous regional coordinator as is the case in Asia
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: Plurinational State of Bolivia
Paragraph Number: 61
Session: 9 (2010)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Plurinational State of Bolivia should consider implementing the resolutions of the National Agrarian Reform Institute regarding the revocation of land titles on grounds of servitude in all matters affecting not only the freedom of individuals, but also the recovery of land for communities, thereby preventing legal proceedings from stalling a reform process that defends, promotes and protects human rights.
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: Member States, Chile
Paragraph Number: 45
Session: 21 (2022)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum reiterates the importance of the legal recognition of
indigenous peoples within national constitutions. The Permanent Forum takes note of
the position expressed by the Government of Chile on the recognition of indigenous
peoples. The Permanent Forum invites Chile to provide an update on progress at the
twenty-second session of the Permanent Forum, to be held in 2023. Furthermore, the
Permanent Forum supports the call from indigenous peoples of Australia at the
meeting held in Uluru in 2017 for a process on the three core components of the Uluru
Statement from the Heart – “Voice, Treaty and Truth” – and constitutional recognition
of indigenous rights consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: Member States, Donor Agencies, IPOs, NGOs, Intergovernmental Organisations, OHCHR and UN agencies
Paragraph Number: 39
Session: 6 (2007)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum welcomes the initiative taken by indigenous peoples’ organizations, States non-governmental organizations and OHCHR to improve the visibility of the situations faced by indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact and recent efforts to respect and protect the rights of these peoples, particularly in the Amazon and Chaco regions of South America and the Andaman and Nicobar islands in India, including the Penan peoples of the forests of Sarawak in Malaysia. The Permanent Forum highlights, in particular, the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Appeal (“Llamamiento de Santa Cruz de la Sierra”), which was the outcome of the regional seminar on indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and in initial contact of the Amazon Basin and El Chaco held from 20 to 22 November 2006 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, with the sponsorship of OHCHR, the Indigenous Work Group for Indigenous Affairs and the Confederacion Indigena del Oriente de Boliva, and with the support of the Government of Bolivia, and the partnership of Denmark, Norway and Spain. The Permanent Forum recommends that OHCHR, other international agencies and States, in partnership with indigenous peoples’ organizations and non-governmental organizations, further replicate and follow up similar initiatives in order to achieve and consolidate sustained long-term policies, mechanisms and procedures that can assure the security and self-determined livelihoods of these peoples, including the guarantee of the inviolability of their territories and natural resources.
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: Member States, UNCLOS
Paragraph Number: 51
Session: 12 (2013)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum recommends that all Governments, including the Government of Canada, and the bodies established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ensure respect for and recognition of the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and that they follow up on the full and effective implementation of the Declaration, in particular in the context of Arctic indigenous peoples. In this regard, these parties must pay immediate and special attention to the right of indigenous peoples to participate in decision-making in all matters that affect their rights; the right of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories and resources; and the right of indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent.
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: UNPFII
Paragraph Number: 40
Session: 10 (2011)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum confirms its intention to participate in the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee (Paris, 19 to 29 June 2011). The objective of such participation is to encourage a review of existing procedures with regard to rights-related mechanisms, norms and standards in the preparation and processing of world heritage nominations by States parties.
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: Member States, IPOs, UN system/UN agencies
Paragraph Number: 134
Session: 7 (2008)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum calls for the cooperation of all States, indigenous peoples, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations in its task of ensuring that the Declaration reaches indigenous peoples in their communities by appropriate dissemination of the text in indigenous peoples’ own languages.
Area of Work: Human rights
Addressee: UN system, Member States
Paragraph Number: 58
Session: 4 (2005)
Full Text:
The Forum urges the United Nations system and States to give special priority to implementing previous recommendations made by the Forum, and to take into account the cross-cutting nature of human rights issues.
Area of Work: Human rights, Cooperation
Addressee: Commission on Human Rights
Paragraph Number: 90
Session: 2 (2003)
Full Text:
The Forum welcomes and supports Commission on Human Rights decision 2003/117 of 24 April 2003 to hold a seminar on treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between indigenous peoples and States, as a follow-up to the United Nations treaty study final report.
E/CN.4/Sub.2/1999/20.
Area of Work: Human rights
