The Permanent Forum recommends that the organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and Member States organize a regional consultation with indigenous organizations and interested donors to develop a more coordinated, sustainable and longer-term programme in the region which has as its principal objective the strengthening of indigenous organizations so as to ensure that they have the technical capacity to engage with Governments and the international community on human rights.
The Permanent Forum invites Member States to organize intersessional meetings to discuss cooperation on pertinent topics with the Permanent Forum.
The Permanent Forum welcomes that, as of 3 November 2022, the term “Indigenous Peoples” is capitalized in the United Nations Editorial Manual. That update was made in accordance with an agreement made among the Member States when negotiating General Assembly resolution 77/203. The Permanent Forum urges that translation in all official languages of the United Nations reflect that update to the Editorial Manual.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the approval of the approach to recognizing and working with indigenous and local knowledge adopted at the fifth plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, in 2017, and the establishment of a participatory mechanism for indigenous peoples and local communities in the work of the Platform. The Forum urges the identification of procedures and methodologies for effective implementation of the approach and the participatory mechanism, in partnership with indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the interest of the Governments of Botswana and the Congo in supporting the rights of indigenous peoples in the region, including the World Conference process, and encourages other African Governments to follow this good practice. The Forum welcomes the willingness of Simon William M’Viboudoulou to assist in the preparation and successful hosting of these meetings.
The Forum, further recognizing the long-term benefits for indigenous peoples of training and education opportunities within the United Nations system, such as the establishment of an indigenous fellowship network by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, requests the Office to invite Permanent Forum Members and the secretariat of the Forum to the meeting of the indigenous fellowship network, scheduled to be held August 2004 in Barcelona.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the accreditation, including of indigenous nations, councils, parliaments and Governments, as well as traditional governments, for the preparatory conferences and the World Conference reflect the principle of full and effective and direct participation of indigenous peoples, as set forth in articles 18 and 41 of the Declaration, building upon the established practice of accreditation and inclusive participation followed in other United Nations processes related to indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that urban indigenous issues be given important consideration on the agenda of the fourth session of the World Urban Forum, and notes the organization by UN-Habitat of a round-table event on this theme. The Forum urges States, United Nations agencies and indigenous peoples’ organizations to cooperate with UN-Habitat in the lead up to this and other events at the fourth session, including through input and participation.