The Forum encourages the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and its Member States to take practical steps to ensure that the inappropriate and unauthorized documentation and publication of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions/folklore does not occur, and to reinforce the capacity of indigenous peoples and local communities to make informed decisions in their own interests concerning whether and how documentation should be issued, including through the development of practical toolkits and guides which should have this as their aim.
The Permanent Forum urges States to implement articles 11 and 13 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in particular in relation to the practice and revitalization of indigenous peoples’ languages, cultural traditions and customs as a way of building resilience and preventing self-harm, violence and suicide.
The Permanent Forum calls upon States to revise national public policies and programmes to include a culturally appropriate perspective, in particular in policies E/2024/43 E/C.19/2024/8 24-07820 17/28 and programmes for reproductive health services so that Indigenous women can receive quality health services.
Indigenous culture and tourism is often seen as a driver of growth and development for the economies and businesses of indigenous peoples, with indigenous peoples often trivialized and viewed solely as cultural icons and objects by others. The Permanent Forum therefore recommends that United Nations agencies, in collaboration with the indigenous peoples concerned, affirm and make operational the right of indigenous peoples to determine their own priorities for development and opportunities concerning indigenous culture and tourism.
The Permanent Forum calls upon WIPO to strengthen its efforts to reach out to indigenous peoples and to continue to provide practical assistance and capacity-strengthening for and in cooperation with indigenous peoples.
The Forum welcomes the initiative of UNESCO to draft a convention on intangible heritage and requests the participation, consultation and dialogue with indigenous peoples and with the Forum.
The global engagement of indigenous peoples at the international level has led to some positive institutional developments, including the establishment of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples can play an important role in the fight against climate change. Member States and United Nations entities should ensure that any activities related to the use of the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples respect indigenous peoples’ own protocols and consent agreements for managing access to their traditional knowledge. Strengthening and ensuring the full participation of indigenous peoples at all levels is also critical for the design and implementation of climate policies, plans, programmes and projects at the local, national and global levels.
The Forum recommends that Member States ratify the Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage and ensure that it is fully implemented.
The Forum recommends that the World Tourism Organization prepare an initial paper on the issue of tourism and indigenous peoples, taking into account the positive and negative impacts, with a view to preparing guidelines on tourism and indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum urges UNESCO to develop an indigenous peoples’ platform within the agency to ensure that UNESCO language programmes provide tangible benefits to indigenous communities and ensure that indigenous peoples are active in all aspects of the work of UNESCO.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, and the advisory bodies IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM, scrutinize current World Heritage nominations to ensure they comply with international norms and standards of free, prior and informed consent.
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.