Welcome to the United Nations
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Paragraph Number: 40
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum welcomes the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Permanent Forum urges the Conference of the Parties to establish a commission, as early as possible, to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Framework, especially its target 3 on protecting 30 per cent of the planet’s land and water by 2030, with the full and equitable participation of Indigenous Peoples and respecting their rights to free, prior and informed consent. The establishment of robust grievance mechanisms is vital.
Area of Work: Environment
Addressee: UNESCO; Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
Paragraph Number: 92
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum calls upon UNESCO, including its Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, to step up its policies, safeguards and actions on the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ tangible and intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO safeguards that reflect robust free, prior and informed consent protocols, as prescribed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, could contribute to the prevention of the destruction and desecration of Indigenous Peoples’ lands and sites by public and private enterprises. Examples include mining activities of the company Rio Tinto on the ancient Aboriginal site Juukan Gorge in Western Australia and the sacred Oak Flat of the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona, United States of America.
Area of Work: Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Culture
Addressee: Member States
Paragraph Number: 45
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum recognizes development of renewable energy sources but remains alarmed that irresponsible development related to green technology and the green transition, has led, at times, to violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including mineral extraction and the building of hydroelectric dams and other large-scale infrastructure without the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. The Permanent Forum recommends that Member States provide the resources necessary to develop and implement Indigenous Peoples’ own free, prior and informed consent protocols in such contexts.
Area of Work: Environment, Economic and Social Development, Climate Change, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Addressee: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Paragraph Number: 30
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change prepare a special report within its seventh assessment cycle, led by Indigenous academics, scientists and traditional knowledge holders, to assess the opportunities for and threats against Indigenous Peoples in the areas of adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage.
Area of Work: Environment, Climate Change
Addressee: UN Environment Assembly
Paragraph Number: 83
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum reiterates its previous recommendations on the ongoing plastic crisis and the importance of the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the negotiations of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme on an international treaty to tackle the crisis. The Permanent Forum welcomes the discussions of the Human Rights Council on the matter at its fifty-second session.
Area of Work: Environment
Addressee: Member States
Paragraph Number: 44
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum again urges Member States to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are afforded full and effective participation in all planning and policy development to address climate change. Indigenous-led climate change policies incorporate the vital knowledge of Indigenous Peoples for land management and stewardship of natural resources while protecting health, equity, justice and sustainability. Principles of free, prior and informed consent must be followed in the development of all climate change policies and actions.
Area of Work: Environment, Climate Change, Health
Addressee: Convention on Biological Diversity
Paragraph Number: 28
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum reiterates its recommendation to adopt a programme of work on article 8 (j) and other provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and strengthened institutional arrangements through a permanent subsidiary body to take forward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to ensure a human rights-based approach, and full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples, by the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention. The Permanent Forum recommends ensuring direct access to financial resources for Indigenous Peoples, inclusive of all landscapes and seascapes, more efficient financial mechanisms managed by Indigenous Peoples and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples’ representatives in the governance of the Framework to better design and implement grants. In that respect, the modus operandi and methods of work for enhanced Indigenous participation under article 8 (j) and related provisions The Permanent Forum reiterates its recommendation to adopt a programme of work on article 8 (j) and other provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and strengthened institutional arrangements through a permanent subsidiary body to take forward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to ensure a human rights-based approach, and full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples, by the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention. The Permanent Forum recommends ensuring direct access to financial resources for Indigenous Peoples, inclusive of all landscapes and seascapes, more efficient financial mechanisms managed by Indigenous Peoples and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples’ representatives in the governance of the Framework to better design and implement grants. In that respect, the modus operandi and methods of work for enhanced Indigenous participation under article 8 (j) and related provisions must be the minimum standard and be prioritized as an essential prerequisite for the full implementation of target 31 of the Framework.
Area of Work: Environment, Funding and Resources
Addressee: Member States
Paragraph Number: 82
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum welcomes the report on the study on implementing free, prior and informed consent in the context of Indigenous Peoples (E/C.19/2023/6), presented at its twenty-second session by a former member of the Permanent Forum, Alexey Tsykarev. The Permanent Forum agrees with the recommendation in the study that Member States and businesses treat Indigenous Peoples as rights holders and work collaboratively with Indigenous Peoples to design effective models for ensuring that free, prior and informed consent is honoured. It urges States, with the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples, to develop national standards to ensure free, prior and informed consent for all development activities by private and public companies.
Area of Work: Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Addressee: Conference of the Parties; Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Paragraph Number: 43
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum calls upon the Conference of the Parties and the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to ensure that all reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation mechanism (REDD and REDD+) programmes and projects go through a full review, with the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples, to assess their validity. The parties to the Convention should adopt a grievance mechanism that allows Indigenous Peoples to identify and name non-State actors, corporations, United Nations entities, States and other organizations involved in setting up REDD programmes and projects that violate the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Area of Work: Environment
Addressee: Member States; UN entities
Paragraph Number: 24
Session: 22 (2023)
Area of Work: Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Addressee: Member States
Paragraph Number: 58
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
Transnational and national extractive industries, at best, consistently disregard their responsibility to respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and to engage in free, prior and informed consent processes. At worst, their practices and behaviours contribute to serious human rights abuses. The Permanent Forum recommends that Member States, as duty bearers, ensure that private sector entities respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights through safeguard and due diligence policies. It further recommends that Member States ensure the application of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework and the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Permanent Forum welcomes the ongoing international efforts to develop legally binding instruments that ensure accountability and due diligence by transnational companies. The reflection of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in such instruments is essential.
Area of Work: Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Addressee: UN entities; UNESCO; UN-Water
Paragraph Number: 41
Session: 22 (2023)
Full Text:
The Permanent Forum calls upon the United Nations entities that constitute UN-Water to ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the realization of the outcomes of the United Nations 2023 Water Conference in order to ensure their engagement in water policy, governance and rights, including with respect to capacity-building, access to clean water, sanitation and water for nature. The Permanent Forum invites UNESCO to report on progress on implementation at the twenty-third session of the Permanent Forum and calls upon UN-Water, UNESCO and other concerned United Nations entities to build coherence among the four United Nations decades on water, oceans, ecosystem restoration and Indigenous Peoples’ languages.
Area of Work: Environment, Enhanced Participation at the UN
