The Permanent Forum emphasizes that the recognition, protection and promotion of indigenous peoples’ rights to lands, territories and resources will make a significant contribution to achieving not only Goals 1 and 2, but also all the Sustainable Development Goals. In this regard, the Forum urges Governments to take all measures necessary to protect indigenous peoples’ rights to their territories and resources in the framework of the 2030 Agenda.
The Permanent Forum recommends that Member States continue to develop legislation to support genuine indigenous representation and participation in decision-making. Legislative measures that create practical, economic, legal and political difficulties for the establishment and functioning of indigenous organizations and institutions worldwide should be addressed in order to allow for cross-border and international cooperation between indigenous peoples of different countries and with and within international organizations on issues and processes affecting them.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the recent entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Forum encourages Member States to accede to the Optional Protocol and requests the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to consider the preparation of a general comment on the economic, social and cultural rights of indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that, in view of the 2015 deadline for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, Member States and the United Nations system make use of the experiences and lessons learned and capture the priorities for development and well-being of indigenous peoples and include indigenous peoples in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Goals.
States, United Nations agencies, funds and programs should mobilize support for indigenous peoples who are extremely vulnerable to natural disasters.
The Permanent Forum endorses the recommendations submitted on 8 May 2009 to the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants by the Indigenous Peoples Caucus to increase and ensure the formal participation of indigenous peoples in that process.
The Permanent Forum encourages national and international financial institutions to target indigenous peoples as beneficiaries of their micro-financing mechanisms and other relevant mechanisms, with the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples.