The Forum expresses its appreciation to the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples for their participation at its third session, and recommends that they pay special attention to the factors contributing to violence against indigenous women, especially domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Urgent transformational actions by States and other development actors for Indigenous Peoples must be based on a human rights framework enabling the identification of the root causes of inequality and providing mechanisms to tackle systemic discrimination and racism and must contribute to reforming discriminatory laws and policies and strengthening the accountability of States, including ensuring democratic space for all.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the annual report of OHCHR to the Permanent Forum provide a summary of relevant reports, decisions and recommendations of the Human Rights Council, its subsidiary bodies and special procedures, as well as the universal periodic review working group, United Nations treaty bodies and other relevant United Nations reports and conferences.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Human Rights Council authorize at least one more session of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations so that it can review and, as needed, complete its important work.
The Permanent Forum requests the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to undertake a specific assessment of the opportunities and threats for indigenous peoples arising from the various greenhouse gas emission strategies that are currently in place and will potentially come into operation to mitigate the impacts of climate change and requests that this assessment be undertaken with the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples around the world.
The Permanent Forum recommends that FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) provide special attention and support to food sovereignty and security concerns of indigenous peoples through thematic studies, the adoption of participatory methodologies, and technical and financial assistance.
The Permanent Forum takes note of the study by Elisa Canqui on forced labour and indigenous peoples (E/C.19/2011/CRP.4) and urges Member States, in collaboration with United Nations agencies and regional intergovernmental organizations, to increase their efforts to combat forced labour and human trafficking and to put in place adequate instruments to protect victims, paying particular attention to indigenous peoples and the restoration of victims’ rights.
Furthermore, the Permanent Forum will promote a constructive dialogue with Governments on the achievements, challenges and future action required in relation to indigenous peoples’ issues in each country under the Declaration. Such dialogue will take place periodically and enlist the participation of indigenous organizations and the United Nations system. The discussion will create an enabling environment of cooperation at the national and international levels, aiming at practical results on the ground.
The Permanent Forum decides to extend the appointment as Special Rapporteur of Michael Dodson, a member of the Forum, to prepare a paper on the relevant principles contained in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, taking into account the provisions of ILO Conventions No. 169 and No. 107 that relate to indigenous land tenure and management arrangements, to assist indigenous peoples, States and United Nations agencies in negotiating indigenous land tenure and management arrangements and to present the paper at the eighth session of the Forum, in 2009.
The Forum underlines the importance for country-specific special rapporteurs, thematic special rapporteurs, experts and representatives of the Commission on Human Rights to pay special attention to the situation of indigenous peoples in their respective fields.
The Permanent Forum urges Member States to contribute support to make possible the annual UNITAR training programme to enhance the conflict prevention and peacemaking capacities of indigenous peoples’ representatives so as to strengthen indigenous capacity to engage in negotiation, dialogue and peace processes to contribute to sustainable peace.
The Permanent Forum urges the Nordic States to ratify, as soon as possible, the Nordic Saami Convention, which could set an example for other indigenous peoples whose traditional territories are divided by international borders.