The Permanent Forum invites Member States to fully implement recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples following her or his country visits.
The lack of effective recognition of the indigenous justice systems by State institutions, as well as the ongoing discrimination against them in the State justice system and inadequate access to redress and reparation, are among the key challenges faced by indigenous peoples around the world. Strengthened support for indigenous justice systems is key to promoting human rights, the rule of law, the achievement of justice for all and the promotion of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions, as set out in Goal 16.
The Permanent Forum recommends that Governments respect the free participation of indigenous representatives in United Nations meetings and activities relevant to them, including the Permanent Forum and other bodies.
The Permanent Forum encourages analysis by States, the specialized agencies, academics, indigenous peoples and their organizations of the implementation of free, prior and informed consent principles and mechanisms regarding projects on indigenous lands and territories, and encourages them to submit such analyses to the Permanent Forum for consolidation and to identify good practices and barriers.
The Permanent Forum calls upon States and corporations to fully recognize the presence and effective participation of indigenous peoples in all negotiation processes relating to the entry of extractive industries, infrastructure projects and other development projects into their communities, consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, inter alia, articles 19, 23 and 32. Furthermore, the Forum calls upon all relevant actors to ensure the application of culturally relevant, gender-balanced and gender-based analysis and gender budgeting as critical elements of economic and social development, consistent with articles 21 and 44 of the Declaration.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States incorporate adequate information on the implementation of the Declaration in their core reports to the human rights treaty bodies.
The Forum, taking into account the large number of incarcerated indigenous children and youth and the need to assist them in reintegrating into society as soon as possible through socio-educational measures, recommends that the Economic and Social Council urge Governments to ensure greater protection and humane treatment of those children and youth while in prison and youth detention centres, and to provide them with socio-educational measures for their rehabilitation.
The Permanent Forum requests that UNESCO present a report to the Forum by 2020 on the implementation of the International Year of Indigenous Languages, on the basis of the action plan for organizing it (see E/C.19/2018/8).
The Forum expresses its concerns regarding continued violence against women and, owing to the seriousness of these conditions, reiterates its previous recommendations regarding: human and sex trafficking; prostitution and trans-border issues; the disappearance, or murder, of aboriginal women; issues related to identification and birth certificates; environmental violence; intergenerational trauma; youth suicide; peace and security; conflict prevention and resolution; cultural practices such as female genital mutilation or cutting; bride price and promised brides; racism and discrimination; and data disaggregation.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) conduct a study on violence against indigenous women and access to justice, especially in cross-border situations, in cooperation with indigenous women.
In order to enhance its capacity, first-hand understanding and leadership in the area of indigenous peoples’ issues, the Permanent Forum strongly recommends that UNDP establish training programmes similar to the Leadership Development Programme and junior professional programmes focused on attracting indigenous professionals or incorporate an indigenous component in existing programmes.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh and sixty-eighth sessions convene thematic interactive hearings with the participation of Member States, representatives of indigenous peoples and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, and the Permanent Forum, in order to facilitate the development of a concise and joint action-oriented outcome document.