The Permanent Forum welcomes information from the Government of Bangladesh on progress towards the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord. It calls upon Bangladesh to make further efforts towards full implementation of the Accord through constructive dialogue and cooperation with the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council, the three Hill District Councils and the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission.
The Permanent Forum regrets the very high incarceration rates of indigenous peoples globally, which contributes to poor health, poverty and untimely death, including in indigenous families and communities. States are reminded of their obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and should therefore address this issue urgently by reducing the incarceration and eliminating the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment of indigenous peoples by justice systems.
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 calls upon all member States and United Nations agencies to respond to the annual questionnaire from the secretariat of the Permanent Forum in order to provide information on reliable practices that lead to the full and effective implementation of the Declaration. Further, the Forum recommends that the secretariat of the Permanent Forum include questions that particularly focus on indigenous children and youth.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States, in consultation with the indigenous peoples concerned, provide financial and technical assistance for indigenous peoples to map the boundaries of their communal lands, finalize legal and policy frameworks for the registration of collective titles, as a matter of urgency, and support indigenous peoples in preparing their claims for collective title.
The Forum takes note of the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples following his latest visits to Chile, Colombia and Mexico. The Forum calls upon the Office of the High Commissioner to elaborate technical cooperation programmes to assist in the implementation of the recommendations.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in cooperation with the Permanent Forum develop a coherent and strategic plan of action in Africa in cooperation with indigenous peoples and their representative organizations, and that the implementation of the programme of the Office of the High Commissioner to strengthen capacity to protect and advocate for the human rights of indigenous peoples be linked to other United Nations bodies, notably the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), UNESCO and others.
Recalling the recommendations made in paragraphs 4 to 11 of the report on its tenth session (E/2011/43-E/C.19/2011/14 and Corr.1) and the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Permanent Forum expresses alarm regarding the contemporary application of the erroneous and discredited “doctrine of discovery” and its underlying assumptions, which promote the purported inferiority of indigenous peoples. This doctrine was applied in June 2012 by the British Columbia Court of Appeal to deny the land rights and title of the Tsilhqot’in to their traditional lands and territories by stating that “European explorers considered that by virtue of the ‘principle of discovery’ they were at liberty to claim territory in North America on behalf of their sovereigns”. The Forum strongly recommends that States, human rights bodies and judiciaries denounce the “doctrine of discovery” and discontinue its use and application.
The Permanent Forum recommends that those responsible for practices of forced labour or other forms of servitude should be prosecuted under Paraguayan law.
The Permanent Forum recommends that corporations, regulating bodies and certification bodies incorporate the rights of indigenous peoples in their quality standards, operating plans, business plans and investment plans.
The Forum decides to invite the Special Rapporteur on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and the Special Rapporteurs on the right to education and the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health to its seventh session.
The Permanent Forum calls upon the Government of the United States of America to comply with the provisions recognized in the Declaration and to ensure the rights of the Great Sioux Nation to participate in decision-making, as set out in article 19 of the Declaration, given that the construction of the Dakota access pipeline will affect their rights, lives and territory. Furthermore, the Forum recommends that the Government of the United States initiate an investigation of alleged human rights abuses by private security and law enforcement officers that occurred during protests to prevent construction of the pipeline.