The Permanent Forum notes that the Constitutional Court of Guatemala issued ruling No. 2112-2016 of 24 October 2017 on indigenous peoples’ intellectual collective property. The Permanent Forum urges Guatemala to comply with the ruling and to adopt laws and policies, respecting the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Secretary-General actively support the enhanced participation of indigenous peoples by participating in the General Assembly process, associated regional dialogues and meetings with the Temporary Committee for the Indigenous Coordinating Body for Enhanced Participation in the United Nations. Furthermore, the Permanent Forum urges Member States to consult with indigenous peoples nationally, regionally and internationally on enhanced participation and to provide financial support for related activities so as to ensure the full, effective, direct and meaningful participation of indigenous peoples in that process.
Post-pandemic recovery efforts have exacerbated human rights violations against indigenous peoples across Asia. Governments have used economic recovery plans as a justification to seize indigenous lands for the purposes of resource extraction, and indigenous environmental defenders are often threatened and arrested. The Permanent Forum calls on Member States to guarantee the principles of free, prior and informed consent throughout its post-pandemic recovery efforts to ensure that the socioeconomic development of indigenous territories is implemented in full cooperation with indigenous peoples.