The Permanent Forum recommends that international financial institutions adopt and incorporate the right of indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent, without qualification, into their safeguard policies and project-related instruments. International financial institutions must ensure that their clients and borrowers engage in processes with indigenous peoples affected by bank-financed projects to secure their free, prior and informed consent.
The Permanent Forum recognizes that the role of boarding schools for indigenous children has attracted considerable international attention. In some countries, boarding schools have had a very negative, even tragic, impact on the families, cultures and identities of indigenous peoples. At the same time, in some regions of the world, boarding schools are considered an important step for the successful social integration and education of indigenous children into mainstream society. The situation is complex. The Permanent Forum therefore recommends that an expert member conduct an in-depth comprehensive and comparative case study on this subject, with a focus on best practices. Furthermore, where negative impacts have occurred, the Permanent Forum supports the call of indigenous peoples for formal apologies from the States concerned.
The Forum reiterates its recommendations on economic and social development made at its second session, in particular those contained in chapter I, section B, paragraphs 26-28, 33-34, 36, 39 and 44 of the report.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the International Labour Organization (ILO) continue to work with the Forum, United Nations agencies, financial institutions, bilateral donors and other interested parties to further the inclusion of indigenous peoples’ rights in high-level development policies and poverty reduction strategy papers, such as by raising indigenous peoples’ issues with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and its related Development Assistance Committee.
The Forum reaffirms the UNDP focus on implementing its policy of working with indigenous peoples at the country level, and urges UNDP to continue its work to develop a policy on land tenure rights with the participation of indigenous peoples.
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.
The Permanent Forum urges States to support the economic activities of indigenous peoples, in particular indigenous women, by enhancing their equal access to productive resources and agricultural inputs, such as land, seeds, financial services, technology, transportation and information.