The Permanent Forum recommends that the Ad Hoc Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing consider at its next meeting the report of the international indigenous and local community consultation on access and benefit-sharing and the development of an international regime (UNEP/CBD/WG-ABS/5/INF/9).
In order to fully address the fact that indigenous peoples lag behind in terms of the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, it will be necessary for UNDP to strengthen its policies to integrate human rights and indigenous peoples’ issues into all projects that affect indigenous peoples, in particular with regard to strategies and tools aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Human Rights Council update and complete the United Nations study on treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States and indigenous populations, including the possible appointment of a rapporteur to carry out this task and to provide regular reports to the Human Rights Council, the Permanent Forum and other appropriate bodies.
The Permanent Forum encourages APG to continue to defend in a cooperative and constructive manner, the principles of self-determination and free, prior and informed consent in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which the Plurinational State of Bolivia has incorporated into its domestic law and applied through its Constitution
The Permanent Forum recommends that Member States take measures to advance indigenous women’s right to intercultural health through its inclusion in legal frameworks and public policies, as well as programmes to guarantee culturally, geographically and financially appropriate health and social services.
The Forum notes that the Fifth World Indigenous Education Conference will be held in New Zealand in November and December 2005, and urges UNESCO to seek to be actively involved in this conference, in particular in dissemination of information on UNESCO projects, programs and activities relating to indigenous education and relevant to UNESCO responsibilities in pursuing Millennium Development Goal 2
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Human Rights Council include the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a normative basis for universal periodic review.
United Nations special procedures are an essential tool for monitoring the implementation of priority human rights issues. The Permanent Forum recommends that the special procedures with a mandate on gender issues (carried out by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, and the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children) brief the Permanent Forum each year during its annual session on the situation of indigenous women.
The Forum wishes to express its appreciation to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples for his participation at the second session of the Forum and for his important contribution thereto. The Forum invites the Special Rapporteur to participate annually at its sessions and to inform the Forum on his work in accordance with his mandate.
The Permanent Forum remains concerned about continuing human rights violations, including arbitrary killings and extrajudicial executions, throughout northeastern India. It echoes the call of indigenous peoples (scheduled tribes) of the region and urges India to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958, investigate alleged human rights abuses in the region and hold those responsible to account.
The Permanent Forum urges Member States to contribute support to make possible the annual UNITAR training programme to enhance the conflict prevention and peacemaking capacities of indigenous peoples’ representatives so as to strengthen indigenous capacity to engage in negotiation, dialogue and peace processes to contribute to sustainable peace.
According to articles 25 to 36 of the Declaration, States shall uphold the right to the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples and avoid, minimize and adjudicate disputes concerning land, territory or resources arising from extractive industries, large-scale water, energy and infrastructure projects, and agricultural investments.