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 supports the work of the Special Representative to urge States to integrate human rights into those areas that most affect business practices, including corporate law, export credit and insurance, investments and trade agreements. The Forum suggests that the Special Representative urge States to ensure that such business practices comply with the relevant provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Forum urges the Special Representative to incorporate the specific views and distinct perspectives of indigenous peoples on social and economic development. Regarding the Americas, corporations must also comply with therulings of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which construe the States’ obligations under International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention (No. 169) concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries with regard to the Declaration as extending even to States that have not ratified the Convention. The Forum recommends that this principle be applied in other jurisdictions.
The Permanent Forum encourages Member States with bilateral development agencies to enact, in accordance with the Declaration, policies that ensure the inclusion of indigenous peoples as partners in the development process, with a meaningful role in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all projects that affect their territories, rights and livelihoods
The Permanent Forum welcomes the efforts of UNDP to endorse the political participation of indigenous peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean and its support in the preparation of the report on democracy and indigenous peoples in the region. The Forum recommends to UNDP that it extend this good practice to other regions and follow up regularly.