The Forum recalls the Millennium Development Goal to "Achieve universal primary education", especially for indigenous women and girls, as well as the Dakar Framework for Action, "Education for all: meeting our collective commitments", and reiterates its support, with a focus on indigenous women and girls. In accordance with the provision contained in the relevant international instruments, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, International Labour Organization Convention 169 and the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education, some Governments have in recent years, taking into account their specific situations, formulated policies and programmes to safeguard indigenous peoples’ equal rights to education, and have adopted positive measures to address indigenous education issues. These should be promoted as good practices throughout the United Nations system and broadly to all Member States. Furthermore, to achieve equitable
educational outcomes for indigenous peoples, especially indigenous women and girls, Governments should adopt special measures (UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education).
The Permanent Forum welcomes the progress made in operationalization of the United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership, a joint venture of the United Nations agencies, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNDP, ILO, UNICEF and UNFPA at the regional and country levels, in partnership with indigenous peoples, and reiterates its support to its work, firmly believing that it is critical to the implementation of the Declaration at the country level. The Forum also welcomes the contributions of the Governments of Denmark and Finland to the Partnership and calls upon States Members of the United Nations and others to support the work of the Partnership.
The Permanent Forum invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and relevant States of the Congo Basin to provide at the eighth session of the Forum, in 2009, specific information on the biosphere reserves project and how they will incorporate the indigenous peoples of the Congo Basin and their respective associations into the implementation of the project.
The Permanent Forum urges States to intensify efforts at the national level to implement Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 on women, peace and security, including through national action plans that pay special attention to indigenous women.
The Forum welcomes the establishment of the indigenous fellowship programme in its secretariat, and calls upon Governments, foundations and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to give generously to the Trust Fund of the Secretary-General in support of the Forum, and to earmark their donations for the fellowship programme.
The Permanent Forum requests the Global Environment Facility, as well as other funding mechanisms, to prioritize support for conservation approaches that are led or co-managed by indigenous peoples.
The Forum anticipates that the host country will do its utmost to assure the issuance in a timely manner of entry visas to members of the Forum and observers from non-governmental organizations, pursuant to article IV, section 11, of the Headquarters Agreement, in order to attend its sessions. The Forum also anticipates that other member States hosting United Nations meetings to which indigenous organizations are invited will also do their utmost to ensure the timely issuance of entry visas. The Forum further requests that consideration be given to the waivering of visa fees by host countries for applicants wishing to participate in the work of the Forum and related meetings and activities.
States should recognize indigenous peoples’ rights to forests and should review and amend laws that are not consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other international standards on indigenous peoples’ land and natural resource rights, including over forests. This includes indigenous peoples’ customary law on land and resource rights and the right to be fully involved in decision-making processes.
The Forum, deeply concerned about the harmful and widespread impact of armed conflict on indigenous children, recommends that the Committee on the Rights of the Child make recommendations on the situation of the human rights of indigenous children involved in armed conflict, taking into account the principles and norms contained in the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and relevant parties develop mechanisms for indigenous peoples’ participation, as appropriate, in all aspects of the international dialogue on climate change, particularly the forthcoming negotiations for the next Kyoto Protocol commitment period, including by establishing a working group on local adaptation measures and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples. The Forum encourages dialogue and cooperation among indigenous peoples, particularly indigenous women and youth, States, conservation and development organizations and donors in order to strengthen the participation of indigenous peoples in dialogue on climate change.
The Permanent Forum is concerned by issues related to land tenure, the collective rights of indigenous peoples, customary rights, land-grabbing and the closure of transhumance corridors. The Permanent Forum therefore recommends that States of the Sahel and the Congo basin establish a legal framework to consolidate their national and local land tenure regimes with a view to resolving conflicts peacefully. In addition, those States should enhance access to justice for the aff ected indigenous pastoralists and provide training for judicial officials on those issues.
The Forum recommends the establishment of an international ethical code on bio-prospecting in order to avoid bio-piracy and ensure the respect for indigenous cultural and intellectual heritage. Under the framework of the Convention, a mechanism should be established for the repatriation and devolution of genetic materials collections to indigenous peoples. The Forum recommends to the Convention secretariat that the global taxonomy initiative incorporate an ethical principles and social framework for the protection of indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands, traditional knowledge and resources before its implementation.