The Permanent Forum decides to appoint as Special Rapporteur Ms Tonya Gonnella Frichner, a member of the Forum to conduct a preliminary study on the impact of the international legal construct known as the Doctrine of Discovery on Indigenous Peoples that has served as the foundation of the violation of their human rights and to report thereon to the Forum at its ninth session, in 2010.
In order to protect the human rights of indigenous peoples, the Forum recommends that States create indigenous ombudsmen offices, especially for indigenous women, ensuring the full and effective participation of indigenous women
The Permanent Forum urges the Republic of Paraguay to take urgent action to implement the resolutions of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights concerning communities that are experiencing major humanitarian crises.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination elaborate a general comment on discrimination in housing, taking into account the situation of indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the initiation of a national dialogue to discuss and achieve key constitutional reforms in the field of justice in Guatemala, and encourages the recognition of indigenous justice systems. The Forum urges Guatemala and the private sector, in addition to the World Bank and other international economic institutions, to acknowledge that serious efforts require structural economic and social reforms rather than rapid growth of gross domestic product in order to reverse widespread and growing poverty among the indigenous peoples of Guatemala. Such crucial reforms must ensure more equitable distribution and access to traditional lands for the indigenous peoples of Guatemala, consistent with the rights affirmed in the United Nations Declaration, and on the basis of respect for and legal recognition of their collective rights, including their self-determined development. Furthermore, the Forum calls upon Guatemala to reinforce the effective and full implementation of the Peace Accords.
The Forum, taking into account that indigenous children, youth and women are more vulnerable and are often physically and psychologically mistreated, and that children represent the future of indigenous peoples, recommends that the Council support the declaration of an international day or an international year of the indigenous child, to be celebrated with awareness-raising activities to honour the cultural identity of indigenous peoples.
The Forum endorses the report and recommendations of the three-day international expert group meeting on the theme “Combating violence against indigenous women and girls: article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” (E/C.19/2012/6). The Forum requests that the report form part of the official documentation of the Commission on the Status of Women at its fifty-seventh session, to be held in 2013.
Governments, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations should, within the context of the 2005 Millennium Development Goals review and beyond, develop disaggregated data and information on indigenous peoples, in partnership with indigenous peoples. This should include a budget analysis to determine the amount of resources allotted to indigenous peoples. The Forum recommends to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean that it continue to and strengthen its efforts regarding the production, elaboration and use of relevant information from population censuses, household surveys and other adequate sources, jointly with indigenous peoples, aiming at improving socio-economic conditions and active participation of indigenous peoples in the development process throughout the Latin American and the Caribbean region
The Permanent Forum considers that the conclusion of the Global Preparatory Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, to be held in Alta, Norway, from 10 to 12 June 2013, should be considered as a firm basis for the identification of specific themes for the round table and panel discussions under the auspices of the General Assembly.
The Permanent Forum recommends that information be coordinated within State ministries and United Nations agencies that have responsibilities and mandates relating to indigenous peoples’ access to lands, territories and natural resources.
The 2030 Agenda is now in its third year of implementation. The Permanent Forum reiterates that countries undergoing voluntary national reviews at the high-level political forum on sustainable development should include indigenous peoples in their reviews, reports and delegations and invites States to report on good practices to the Forum at its eighteenth session.
The Permanent Forum therefore requests the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel to support Member States in the Sahel and the Congo basin in this work, in collaboration with indigenous peoples. In general, indigenous peoples should be invited to contribute to the implementation of the mandate of the Office. Other initiatives of importance to indigenous peoples are the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel and the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative. The Permanent Forum invites the Office to attend its twenty-second session, to be held in 2023, to share information on progress in its work.