The Permanent Forum recognizes that it is important that the Human Rights Council continues to effectively address indigenous peoples’ issues as human rights issues. The Permanent Forum decides to appoint Ms. Ida Nicolaisen and Mr. Wilton Littlechild to undertake a study on the structures, procedures and mechanisms that presently exist and that might be established to effectively address the human rights situation of indigenous peoples, to arrange for indigenous representation and inclusion in such structures, procedures and mechanisms and to submit a report on the subject to the Permanent Forum by 31 December 2007.
The Permanent Forum urges States to increase the provision of funding to indigenous peoples and communities for water and wastewater systems in order to improve the quality of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, as well as address water pollution and degradation in indigenous communities.
Since the adoption in 2007 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, few States have entered into effective dialogue or partnerships with indigenous peoples or have undertaken adequate legal reforms to implement the Declaration. Based on interventions and reports of representatives of indigenous peoples from all regions of the world at its eleventh session, the Permanent Forum is alarmed about the ongoing gross human rights violations being perpetrated against indigenous peoples and therefore calls upon all States to take urgent action to end such violations and to recognize and respect the human rights standards contained in the Declaration.
The Permanent Forum calls upon States and corporations to fully recognize the presence and effective participation of indigenous peoples in all negotiation processes relating to the entry of extractive industries, infrastructure projects and other development projects into their communities, consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, inter alia, articles 19, 23 and 32. Furthermore, the Forum calls upon all relevant actors to ensure the application of culturally relevant, gender-balanced and gender-based analysis and gender budgeting as critical elements of economic and social development, consistent with articles 21 and 44 of the Declaration.
The Permanent Forum recommends that intergovernmental organizations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Secretariat of the Ibero-American Summit, in cooperation with indigenous peoples, establish a working group to promote the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Plan of Action of the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.
In accordance with international law, the Permanent Forum recommends that all States members of the Organization of American States recognize and respect that the United Nations Declaration constitutes the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous peoples of the world, and requests them to ensure that the draft American declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples is consistent with or exceeds the standards affirmed in the United Nations Declaration.
In order to protect the human rights of indigenous peoples, the Forum recommends that States create indigenous ombudsmen offices, especially for indigenous women, ensuring the full and effective participation of indigenous women
The Permanent Forum invites the United Nations Global Compact to lead a study on how the human rights of indigenous peoples can be integrated into the model guidance for stock exchanges when reporting on environmental, social and governance information for their market, and report on its progr ess to the Permanent Forum at its twenty-second session, to be held in 2023.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the work of the Government of Namibia in the development and validation of the white paper on the rights of indigenous peoples, developed with the support of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The Forum encourages the Government to take measures to ensure that the white paper is approved and effectively implemented, in cooperation with indigenous peoples in Namibia. Furthermore, the Forum encourages other States, in particular African States, to consider similar measures, consistent with the Declaration.
The Permanent Forum requests that Member States and other potential donors increase their contributions to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations, the United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership and the Trust Fund on Indigenous Issues in order to guarantee the exercise of the right of indigenous peoples to participate in United Nations meetings of specific concern to them.
The Forum reiterates its recommendations made at its second session, in particular those contained in chapter I, section B, paragraphs 83 to 94 of the report.2
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination elaborate a general comment on discrimination in housing, taking into account the situation of indigenous peoples.