Several speakers emphasized the role of Indigenous women in peacebuilding. States are called upon to ensure Indigenous women’s participation in peace negotiations and peacebuilding. Although adversely affected by armed conflict and violence, the role of Indigenous Peoples in conflict resolution and peacebuilding is largely ignored. States are encouraged to ensure the inclusion and participation of Indigenous Peoples in ongoing peacemaking processes and to fulfil the agreements achieved with the participation of Indigenous Peoples. The Permanent Forum reiterates previous calls upon Bangladesh to ensure effective progress on implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord of 1997.
United Nations entities recommended that Indigenous Peoples strengthen advocacy and engagement at the national level, including with parliamentarians, financial mechanisms, plans and programmes. The Permanent Forum acknowledges the opportunity to engage on and promote Indigenous Peoples’ rights in the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Committee on World Food Security of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in discussions on ultraprocessed food and the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides.
The United Nations Summit of the Future should ensure mechanisms are established for the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples.
The Permanent Forum welcomes that, as of 3 November 2022, the term “Indigenous Peoples” is capitalized in the United Nations Editorial Manual. That update was made in accordance with an agreement made among the Member States when negotiating General Assembly resolution 77/203. The Permanent Forum urges that translation in all official languages of the United Nations reflect that update to the Editorial Manual.
The Permanent Forum encourages FAO to support the recognition and protection of Indigenous knowledge and systems related to food production and food generation, which include, inter alia, forestry, shifting cultivation, fisheries, whaling, livestock, pastoralism and hunting-gathering systems.
The Permanent Forum remains concerned about continuing human rights violations, including arbitrary killings and extrajudicial executions, throughout northeastern India. It echoes the call of indigenous peoples (scheduled tribes) of the region and urges India to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958, investigate alleged human rights abuses in the region and hold those responsible to account.
The Permanent Forum acknowledges the work of the International Telecommunication Union, in collaboration with indigenous peoples’ organizations, on digital inclusion training programmes in the Americas region. The Permanent Forum recognizes the need to undertake additional efforts aimed at eliminating the existing digital inequality affecting indigenous peoples and invite s the International Telecommunication Union to expand its programmes globally, with a special emphasis on nomadic and semi-nomadic indigenous peoples.
Consistent with article 18 of the Declaration, the Permanent Forum requests Member States to explore and establish modalities to ensure the equal, full and direct participation of indigenous peoples in all negotiations of the Intergovernmental Committee.
The Permanent Forum intends to make the formulation of an indigenous peoples’ development index, based on the human rights affirmed in the United Nations Declaration and international human rights instruments, a recurring part of its agenda. The Forum recommends that the United Nations Development Programme, especially its Human Development Report Office, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights assist the Forum in developing such an index, building on existing initiatives by indigenous peoples and United Nations agencies, and report thereon to the Forum at its fifteenth session
The Permanent Forum appreciates the efforts made by El Salvador, Guatemala and Paraguay to develop national action plans in consultation with indigenous peoples and encourages them to share best practices. It further encourages Member States to continue to effectively engage with indigenous peoples at the national, local and community levels to develop and implement national action plans, strategies or other measures to achieve the ends of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Permanent Forum reiterates its call to Member States to redouble their efforts to ensure disaggregated data collection on indigenous peoples (in accordance with target 17.10) and to include complementary indicators on indigenous peoples in voluntary national reports submitted by Governments for meetings of the high-level political forum on sustainable development. Data disaggregated by ethnicity will help Governments to make informed decisions in a culturally appropriate way in response to the specific needs of indigenous peoples. The Forum underlines the importance of applying a human rights-based approach to data collection, including on ethnicity.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the interest of the Governments of Botswana and the Congo in supporting the rights of indigenous peoples in the region, including the World Conference process, and encourages other African Governments to follow this good practice. The Forum welcomes the willingness of Simon William M’Viboudoulou to assist in the preparation and successful hosting of these meetings.
