The Permanent Forum reiterates its grave concerns about the situation of indigenous human rights defenders who continue to be harassed, criminalized, prosecuted or even killed for exercising their legitimate rights to protect their lands, territories and resources, especially in the context and activities of extractive industries. The Forum calls upon Member States to take a zero-tolerance approach to violence against indigenous human rights defenders, to develop and implement all measures necessary to respect and protect indigenous human rights defenders, to duly investigate any act against them and to prosecute those responsible to the full extent of the law.
Recalling its workshop on data collection and disaggregation concerning indigenous peoples (see E/C.19/2004/2), the Forum takes note with satisfaction of the recommendations and intends to: a) Request the World Bank to undertake a study on poverty and indigenous peoples in connection with disaggregation of data, and to present the results to the Forum at its fifth session; b) Devote in-sessional time to in-depth discussions and exchange of good practices concerning the disaggregation of data.
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.
The Permanent Forum encourages ILO to promote the ratification of the Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, 1989 (No. 169) (Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention).
The human rights-based approach to development should be operationalized by States, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations, inlcuding the international financial institutions, and should be the framework underpinning the Millennium Development Goals and poverty reduction strategies, programmes and activities. The recognition of indigenous peoples as distinct peoples and the respect for their individual and collective human rights, rights to lands and territories and sustainable use of natural resources are crucial for achieving a just and sustainable solution to the widespread poverty in their midst. Relevant international treaties, such as International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 169, common article 1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which declares that "no people shall be deprived of its own means of subsistence", as well as bilateral State-indigenous treaties or accords, should be implemented to ensure compliance and implementation
The Permanent Forum urges other States to provide similar support and urges regional commissions to strengthen their focus on urban indigenous peoples and issues, in particular regarding the implementation of the recommendations contained in the 2006 publication.
The Forum invites the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to present an evaluation of the implementation of the Durban Plan of Action at the sixth session of the Forum (2007) pertaining to indigenous peoples, especially indigenous women
The Permanent Forum recommends that Governments respect the free participation of indigenous representatives in United Nations meetings and activities relevant to them, including the Permanent Forum and other bodies.
The Permanent Forum invites Member States to participate in informal discussions on the effective and efficient impacts of the Permanent Forum on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, including in the contexts of biodiversity, climate change, desertification and the enjoyment of human rights by indigenous peoples, in particular efforts to combat violence against indigenous women and children. The Permanent Forum also invites Member States to enhance the effective participation of indigenous peoples in the design and implementation of efforts in the context the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development; the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028; the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration; and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States recognize the right of indigenous peoples to own, control, use and have access to their forests, and calls on States to reform their laws and policies that deny indigenous peoples that right. The Forum is gravely concerned about the continuing eviction of indigenous peoples from their forests and calls on States and the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations to protect and respect the rights of forest-dwelling and forest-dependent indigenous peoples and to provide redress to those whose rights have been violated.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States take steps to establish truth commissions in situations of reported gross violations of the human rights of indigenous peoples. The Forum underlines that the full and effective participation of affected indigenous peoples is a precondition for the establishment and work of truth commissions.
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.