The Permanent Forum expresses appreciation for Nepal being the only Asian country to ratify the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), in 2007. Nevertheless, it is concerning that, even 10 years after ratification, the Government has not adopted a national action plan to implement the Convention. The Forum recommends that Nepal immediately adopt a national action plan, including in line with its commitment in the outcome document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. The Forum urges other Asian States to consider ratifying the Convention as per the recommendations made by treaty bodies and in the universal periodic review.
The Permanent Forum recommends the proposal by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and other organizations to hold an expert workshop on the contribution to development of pastoralist cultures and hunting and gathering societies.
The Permanent Forum urges States to address the stark inequality between indigenous and non-indigenous people in all aspects of life, which has been heightened as a result of COVID-19, by implementing in full the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in all their legal norms and public policies related to indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recalls the relevance of article 13 (1) of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and encourages States to step up efforts, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, to advance the realization of the linguistic and cultural rights of Indigenous Peoples, including through the right to education in Indigenous Peoples’ languages in the context of the International Decade.
The Forum recommends that the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with multilateral and regional agencies and indigenous organizations, lead the mainstreaming of indigenous issues and concerns in poverty reduction strategies at the country level. In view of the decreasing support to pastoral and semi-nomadic groups in Africa, the Forum recommends that IFAD initiate programmes in support of these groups and submit its planned work programme to the Forum at its fourth session.
The Permanent Forum calls on States to ensure that indigenous peoples that are undertaking their own mitigation measures are provided with policy support, technical assistance, funding and capacity-building in order to deepen their knowledge on climate change and to allow them to implement more effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. They should gain benefits from the environmental services derived from their territories and resources. Processes and mechanisms for the valuation of these environmental services, and methods that allow them to get adequate benefits, should be developed jointly with them. Efforts to create better documentation of good practices in mitigation and adaptation and to replicate and upscale these practices should likewise be supported.
The Forum recommends that a meeting of international financial institutions be convened, with the
participation of the Forum, to consider issues related to their policies, procedures and relationships concerning indigenous peoples, and that a report of the meeting be prepared for consideration at
The Permanent Forum recommends that UNESCO, in cooperation with the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Forum and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, and with the direct participation of indigenous peoples, develop a comprehensive action plan for the International Year and invites UNESCO to submit the plan to the Forum at its seventeenth session.
Considering the effects of globalization and the need for indigenous peoples to participate in the global economy to promote their development, the Forum recommends that the Economic and Social Council invite the World Trade Organization to participate in its third session.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the United Nations Development Group guidelines on indigenous peoples’ issues, and encourages United Nations agencies to actively disseminate, promote and implement those guidelines, particularly among their country offices. In that regard, the Forum urges the Development Group to give priority to the promotion, use and implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the most universal, comprehensive and fundamental instrument on indigenous peoples’ rights, and to fully reflect this in the next edition of the Group’s guidelines. The Forum also recommends that donor agencies consider providing financial assistance to implement the guidelines.
The Permanent Forum regrets the lack of progress in enhancing participation by indigenous peoples at the World Intellectual Property Organization and reiterates previous requests that that Organization adopt a legally binding document to protect the traditional knowledge and intellectual property of indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum calls upon the Arctic Council to provide the indigenous permanent participants in the Council with adequate financial resources, enabling them to effectively participate in all relevant activities of the Council.