The Permanent Forum requests the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity to complete its work on the draft code of ethical conduct for the recognition and protection of indigenous intellectual property and cultural heritage, taking into account the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as a minimum standard, with a view to adopting the code at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity.eas.
The Forum recommends that Governments provide public water and sanitation systems to the villages and rural areas where indigenous people live, and control the pollution of rivers and streams affected by pollution from such toxic chemicals as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and industrial waste. The Forum also recommends Governments to create programmes to clean up the rivers and streams that have already been polluted and to ban further pollution by agribusiness and industries.
The Permanent Forum urges States to review their policies on biofuel industries, which, in the name of remedying the impacts of climate change, are resulting in the deforestation of large forest areas and the displacement of indigenous peoples. That increases the vulnerability of indigenous communities and in particular of those living in voluntary isolation.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNESCO reinforce quality education by building indigenous knowledge and culture into education programmes and curricula, including education for sustainable development and for natural disaster preparedness, and promoting the use of indigenous language as the medium of instruction. The important role of indigenous learning methodologies, including experiential learning with community members outside of the classroom, should also be included.