Youth employment poverty-reduction strategies of States and the intergovernmental system should especially focus on indigenous youth, women and men, who are among the most marginalized within the current economic system. Addressing the needs of indigenous youth will also help to achieve Millennium Development Goal 3 and address pressures and problems arising from mass rural-to-urban migration
The Permanent Forum recommends that FAO, in coordination with indigenous peoples, organize training and other capacity-building development, as well as establish mechanisms for engagement such as working groups and appropriate representation of indigenous peoples in relevant instruments and bodies of FAO, and provide a progress report on those activities to the Forum at its fifteenth session.
The Permanent Forum thanks countries in Asia that have already incorporated indigenous languages into primary education and urges Member States and the United Nations system to provide funding to implement policies related to indigenous languages and ensure the incorporation of indigenous languages into the curricula at all education levels.
United Nations agencies should provide incentives and funding opportunities for indigenous youth organizations to initiate non-formal education activities targeting girls and women. Where initiatives already exist, they should develop replication strategies and scale up existing initiatives
The Forum, taking into account that indigenous children, youth and women are more vulnerable and are often physically and psychologically mistreated, and that children represent the future of indigenous peoples, recommends that the Council support the declaration of an international day or an international year of the indigenous child, to be celebrated with awareness-raising activities to honour the cultural identity of indigenous peoples.
Recognizing that States cannot address indigenous education issues alone or in isolation, indigenous representatives and organizations of indigenous peoples should prepare to engage with Governments to facilitate the indigenous education goals of participation, access, attainment, indigenous languages, proficiency in the national language and at least one international language and numeracy, capacity-building, appreciation, understanding and respect for indigenous cultures, and anti-racism strategies.
The Forum urges States and the United Nations agencies to support the attendance and participation of indigenous youth at future sessions of the Permanent Forum
The Permanent Forum recommends that UNESCO, as the primary United Nations agency dealing with education, science and culture, implement and strengthen strategies based on recommendations from the Permanent Forum’s six sessions, placing emphasis on the quality of education and taking into account the visions and pedagogies of indigenous peoples. This recommendation should be reflected in the contents and activities of the global plan of action and in the medium-term financial strategy 2007-2013.
Indigenous communities and organizations are urged to: (a) establish effective arrangements for the participation of indigenous parents and community members in decision-making regarding the planning, delivery and evaluation of education services for their children; (b) actively participate in the monitoring of progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 2; c) Improve the coordination between indigenous and teachers' organizations to assess curricula gaps and improve teacher-training modules on indigenous needs
The Permanent Forum recommends that the secretariat of the Permanent Forum, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UNDP and the United Nations Programme on Youth cooperate closely with the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus to conduct and support regional and international human rights training programmes to build the capacity and advocacy skills of indigenous youth.
The Permanent Forum takes notes of the recent publication of the adolescent-friendly version of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by UNICEF, the Forum and the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus. The Forum recommends that UNICEF, Member States and indigenous peoples translate this publication into all languages, in particular indigenous languages. The Forum also recommends that Member States, indigenous peoples and others use this publication in the curricula of studies of indigenous and non-indigenous youth.
The Forum recommends that the Economic and Social Council encourage States, specialized bodies and the United Nations system to consider creating international indigenous universities.