The Permanent Forum welcomes the legal reforms and policies carried out in some States to recognize the right of indigenous peoples to food and food sovereignty. It would also like to encourage the remaining States to take the steps towards its recognition. The Permanent Forum encourages States to take positive actions to facilitate the capacity of indigenous peoples to strengthen traditional food systems, such as formally recognizing and demarcating indigenous territories to enable them to carry out productive food activities, in accordance with article
8 (2) (b) of the Declaration, which prohibits States from any action that has the aim or effect of dispossessing indigenous peoples of their lands, territories or resources.
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.
The Permanent Forum has decided to appoint Saul Vicente Vásquez, a member of the Forum, to conduct a study on extractive industries in Mexico and the situation of indigenous peoples in the territories in which these industries are located.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other relevant United Nations system agencies, in cooperation with the Permanent Forum, study and summarize practices regarding the implementation of free, prior and informed consent globally, that they widely disseminate successful experiences and that they present their findings to the Permanent Forum at its twenty - fourth session, to be held in 2025.
The Permanent Forum expresses its appreciation to the Member States that have already submitted information to it over the years, and encourages all States to submit substantive information on measures taken to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Permanent Forum is concerned by the killings, violence and harassment targeted at indigenous human rights defenders, which are also frequently committed with impunity. The Permanent Forum is concerned that, despite international condemnation, these criminal acts of violence persist, especially in a small number of countries in South and Central America, Africa and Asia.