The Permanent Forum recommends that the Human Rights Council include, where appropriate, the question of treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements pertaining to indigenous peoples when undertaking its universal periodic review of States members.
The Permanent Forum notes that forced labour and all forms of servitude constitute serious human rights violations that it is urgent to address; it therefore urges the Government of Paraguay to combat these practices as a matter of urgency.
The Permanent Forum urges Member States, in their regular reporting to the United Nations human rights treaty bodies and, in particular, to the Human Rights Council through the universal periodic review, to include the actions taken to implement the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
The Permanent Forum reiterates its call upon African Member States to extend invitations to the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other mandate holders to conduct country visits to foster transparent and constructive dialogue. The Forum notes the invitations from the Governments of Namibia and the United Republic of Tanzania to the Special Rapporteur to undertake country visits and invites Member States to provide financial support to realize these visits.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the relevant treaty bodies take into account the Declaration and urges States to include information regarding its implementation in their reports to the universal periodic review of the Human Rights Council.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the effort of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish a regional human rights mechanism and offers its expertise and cooperation in this matter. The Forum recommends that the mechanism be called the “ASEAN Human Rights Commission” and that the commission explicitly recognize indigenous peoples in its terms of reference. We look forward to a strong commission with full investigatory and implementation powers, which uses the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as its framework in dealing with indigenous peoples’ issues. The Forum also recommends that the commission establish a committee on indigenous peoples in addition to its proposed committees on migrant workers and women and children.
The Permanent Forum calls the attention of States to the need to create or strengthen national bodies with a mandate for the protection of the rights and interests of indigenous peoples in line with the Declaration. The Forum notes the efforts of certain States to create institutions for the rights and interests of indigenous peoples as Government bodies, including ombudsmen who deal with issues and situations regarding the protection of the rights and interests of indigenous peoples. It recommends that other States draw upon such experiences which highlight the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that all States with indigenous peoples review their legislation, policies and programmes in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.
The Permanent Forum recommends that forests that have been taken by States from indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent in the name of conservation policies be restored immediately.
The Permanent Forum recalls and stresses its earlier recommendation that the Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recognize the human rights of indigenous peoples in the ASEAN region and establish a working group on indigenous peoples. In addition, the Forum urges the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation to establish a human rights commission and a working group on indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States ensure that the territories of indigenous peoples in Asia be free of State military interventions and that military bases, camps and training centres established in indigenous territories without the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples be removed immediately, consistent with articles 19 and 30 of the Declaration.
The Forum welcomes the participation and perspective of indigenous women and girls with disabilities, recognizes the distinct vulnerability and marginalization that such indigenous individuals encounter as members of an indigenous group, and encourages United Nations agencies, and Governments and organizations, to include their views.