The Permanent Forum welcomes the importance that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees attaches to the use of indigenous languages when working with indigenous peoples in emergency situations. The Permanent Forum encourages other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to follow that positive practice. For instance, the Permanent Forum recommends that the World Health Organization (WHO) prioritize indigenous languages as a determinant of health.
The Permanent Forum reiterates the importance of the legal recognition of
indigenous peoples within national constitutions. The Permanent Forum takes note of
the position expressed by the Government of Chile on the recognition of indigenous
peoples. The Permanent Forum invites Chile to provide an update on progress at the
twenty-second session of the Permanent Forum, to be held in 2023. Furthermore, the
Permanent Forum supports the call from indigenous peoples of Australia at the
meeting held in Uluru in 2017 for a process on the three core components of the Uluru
Statement from the Heart – “Voice, Treaty and Truth” – and constitutional recognition
of indigenous rights consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the WHO incorporate indigenous peoples’ cultures into the social determinants of health policies. The Permanent Forum urges WHO to review, update and expand its policy on indigenous peoples’ health. The Permanent Forum invites WHO to contribute to the work of the Permanent Forum at its twenty-second session on the health of indigenous peoples.