With regard to paragraph 139 of the report of the Permanent Forum on its sixth session, the Forum calls upon Governments, indigenous peoples organizations, regional administrations and local self-governance organs of the countries of the Arctic region to take an active part in the discussion on the Arctic region at the eighth session of the Forum. The Forum urges the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations to give special consideration to applications from indigenous participants from the Arctic region.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the announcement during this session of the Conservation Initiative on Human Rights by eight global conservation organizations — the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund, Fauna and Flora International, Wetlands International, BirdLife International, the Nature Conservancy, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Conservation International — which aims to promote the integration of human rights in conservation policy and practice, based on their common interest in promoting positive links between conservation and rights of people to secure their livelihoods, enjoy healthy and productive environments and live with dignity. The Forum recommends that these conservation organizations ensure the full participation of indigenous peoples in the implementation of the Initiative. The Forum further recommends that conservation organizations that have projects that have led to the eviction of indigenous peoples from their forests provide redress and restitution to such victims.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the initiative of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) regional office in Mexico with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the creation of a regional inter-agency group on indigenous women, and recommends continuing support for indigenous women's issues and replication of the experience in other regions of the world
The Permanent Forum takes note of the difficulties mentioned in the IFAD report and during the in-depth dialogue regarding engagement with partners whose approach may not be favourable to indigenous issues. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has been acknowledged by IFAD as an important instrument to promote a strong focus on indigenous peoples with its partners. The Permanent Forum recommends that IFAD use the Declaration actively and engage in a constructive dialogue regarding indigenous peoples’ issues, even if its partners demonstrate a lack of interest or a less-than-positive attitude.
The Forum recommends that the World Bank continue dialogue and direct consultation with indigenous peoples, and that a permanent dialogue be held among indigenous peoples, the World Bank and the Forum.
The Permanent Forum reiterates that it has urged all United Nations entities and States parties to treaties concerning the environment, biodiversity and climate change to eliminate the use of the term “local communities” in conjunction with Indigenous Peoples, and to distinguish between the terms, in ongoing processes, policies and new international agreements at all levels.