The Permanent Forum calls upon the States parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to continue to enhance participatory mechanisms by ensuring that the diverse regional views of indigenous peoples are reflected in discussions on the international regime on access and benefit-sharing. In particular, the parties are urged to ensure adequate representation of indigenous peoples from the seven indigenous geo-cultural regions12 and subregional levels in the Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing and to ensure that they are provided with opportunities to express diverse regional and subregional views.
The Permanent Forum recommends that all States Parties to International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 169 implement it by training their leading public officials/civil servants to respect and fulfil its provisions. It is crucial that indigenous peoples be fully informed of the consequences of the use and exploitation of natural resources in their lands and territories through consultations, under the principle of free, prior and informed consent, with indigenous peoples concerned. Through free, prior and informed consent, future conflicts can be avoided and the full participation of indigenous peoples in consultation mechanisms, environmental impact assessments and sociocultural impact assessments can be ensured.