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.
The Permanent Forum invites the General Assembly to consider the creation of a distinct United Nations voluntary fund for indigenous youth or the earmarking of existing and future funds to increase and enhance the direct participation of indigenous youth at the United Nations. Furthermore, the Forum encourages every State Member of the United Nations to make multi-year voluntary contributions to such existing and/or future funds.
The Permanent Forum recalls the recommendation contained in paragraph 39 of its report on its sixteenth session, in which States were encouraged to continue to cooperate with indigenous peoples to develop fair, transparent and effective mechanisms for the repatriation of ceremonial objects and human remains at the national and international levels.
The Permanent Forum requests that UNICEF, when completing its strategic policy framework on indigenous peoples, include indigenous youth in the design of the policy. In addition, particular attention is needed to reflect the diversity among indigenous children and to focus on vulnerable groups, such as victims of human trafficking and child pornography, as well as groups facing manifold discrimination based on gender, disability or sexual orientation.
Within the framework of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and its Action Plan, the Forum recommends that:
(a) All United Nations bodies and Governments initiate new ethnographic studies that re-evaluate stereotypical views on gender relationships within indigenous populations in order to challenge existing misconceptions by highlighting diverse community roles in which indigenous women wield real power and play leadership roles;
(b) Member States with indigenous populations develop multicultural public policies with a view to implementing the contents of the Declaration and strengthening, in an equitable manner, local cultures;
(c) UNESCO promote the recovery of underwater indigenous heritage, the oral tradition and ancient writings with a view to recognizing them as the heritage of humanity.
Furthermore, States should strengthen measures, systems and resources to effectively address all forms of violence against indigenous women, such as female genital mutilation; child marriage; sexual abuse; forced labour; modern slavery; domestic, institutional and political violence, including in the context of forced displacement; sexual exploitation; trafficking; armed conflict; and the militarization of indigenous lands and territories.