The recognition of indigenous peoples’ representative institutions is particularly pertinent in conflict-affected and post-conflict regions. Indigenous peoples’ role in peacebuilding is essential for reconciliation and for strengthening resilience to extremism and radicalization, particularly among indigenous youth. Indigenous peoples’ institutions should be viewed by States as allies in the efforts of the Security Council to establish peace and security.
The Permanent Forum recommends that a task force be created within the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Issues to specifically address migration issues of indigenous peoples, as suggested in the 2006 Geneva workshop on this matter (E/C.19/2007/CRP.5).
The Forum urges the United Nations system and States to give special priority to implementing previous recommendations made by the Forum, and to take into account the cross-cutting nature of human rights issues.
Recognizing that there is a general lack of awareness of the distinct status of indigenous peoples and the human rights of indigenous peoples, which may lead to systemic discrimination, the Permanent Forum urges all levels of government to ensure that relevant staff as well as the broader public are aware of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in order to promote and ultimately achieve a framework for justice, reconciliation and respect for the human rights of all. Furthermore, the Permanent Forum requests all States to uphold the names of respected past and present indigenous leaders, and indigenous peoples, and that they not be used in any inappropriate military connections.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of Saramaka People vs. Suriname (28 November 2007), which aptly applies the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Permanent Forum urges the Working Group of the Organization of American States, which is elaborating the draft American declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, to consider the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the minimum standard.
The Permanent Forum urges the Governments of Central and Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia regions to implement international standards and norms on the rights of indigenous peoples and ensure their rights to lands, territories and resources, in particular article 20 of the Declaration. This includes recognizing reindeer herders’ use and management of grazing land and use of necessary biological resources by hunters, fishers and foragers.
The Permanent Forum appreciates the invitation to participate in the Second Continental Summit of Indigenous Communication, to be held in Oaxaca, Mexico, in 2013 and recommends that Forum members Saul Vicente Vazquez and Alvaro Pop attend the Summit.
In relation to the preparation for the high-level plenary meeting/World Conference, the Permanent Forum welcomes the study entitled “Rights of indigenous peoples: achievements and challenges in the Latin American countries”, prepared by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in collaboration with indigenous peoples, and encourages States, agencies and regional commissions to undertake similar studies.
Foster the training of indigenous women in order to gain leadership skills to become community advocates and defenders for indigenous women's rights to achieve gender equity
The Permanent Forum encourages ILO to promote the ratification of the Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, 1989 (No. 169) (Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention).
The Permanent Forum recommends that Paraguay should speed up the reform of INDI and of other institutions with competence in indigenous issues so that the proper participation of indigenous peoples will strengthen their democratic representation before the legislative and judicial powers, which are still reluctant to act.
The Permanent Forum is concerned that legal obligations and commitments and indigenous peoples’ treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements with States are routinely denied and violated by States. With regard to interventions by indigenous peoples on unresolved land rights, including the Six Nations of the Grand River and others on which the Forum has made specific recommendations in the past, the Forum calls upon States to fairly and equitably redress the long-standing unresolved land rights issues through good-faith negotiations, consistent with the United Nations Declaration and without extinguishing indigenous peoples’ land rights.