The Permanent Forum decides to appoint Michael Dodson and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Members of the Permanent Forum, as Special Rapporteurs to organize and undertake a technical review of the proposed international regime on access and benefit-sharing, as recommended in paragraph 48 (i) of the report of the international expert group meeting on the international regime on access and benefit-sharing and indigenous peoples’ human rights of the Convention on Biological Diversity (E/C.19/2007/8).
The Permanent Forum recommends that all Member States and intergovernmental agencies ensure that efficient programming is developed in order for the positive transformation of social problems stemming from the weak and inadequate implementation of articles 7, 17, 21 and 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This programming has to be targeted at indigenous youth for fundamental change.
A recommendation that UN country teams involve members of the Forum in dialogue processes with indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that United Nations organizations provide technical assistance and convene, in cooperation with indigenous peoples’ organizations, regional workshops on the special theme of the sixth session of the Permanent Forum, namely, “Territories, lands and natural resources”, with the participation of Permanent Forum members, and other experts, indigenous peoples’ representatives, indigenous parliamentarians, State representatives, and representatives of the United Nations system, in order to formulate recommendations for consideration, as part of its preparatory work for the sixth session. The Permanent Forum further recommends that States, organizations and donors provide resources for these regional workshops.
The Forum recommends that the Special Rapporteur on the right to education pay special attention in her work to the right to education as contained in treaties, agreements, and other constructive arrangements between indigenous peoples, Nations and States.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the decision taken by the General Assembly in its resolution 61/193 to declare 2011 the International Year of Forests. The Forum calls on the United Nations Forum on Forests to work closely with the secretariat of the Permanent Forum to ensure the full participation of indigenous peoples in the design and implementation of the activities planned for the International Year of Forests, including the implementation of the recommendations referred to in paragraph 23 above
The Permanent Forum recommends that relevant States, in cooperation with the indigenous peoples concerned, establish indigenous peoples’ centres in urban areas to address their medical needs and provide legal and other forms of assistance.
The Permanent Forum has learned from indigenous peoples’ communications, which have been corroborated by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, that in the Chaco region there are Guaraní communities in a practical state of slavery. According to the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, as well as the articles 17, 26 and 28 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Forum strongly supports the efforts of the current Government of Bolivia and the commitment of the incoming Government of Paraguay to discontinue this enslaving practice and return indigenous lands to their lawful owners, the Guaraní themselves.
Establish a fund for indigenous women to support capacity-building and their participation in meetings at the international, regional and national levels
The Permanent Forum recommends that OHCHR duly reflect on its strategic management plan for 2008/09 and on its activities to mainstream indigenous issues at the field level, inter alia, in connection with Action 2.