Promote and support the utilization of local indigenous languages and, where no written languages exist, employ local indigenous people (as translators/interpreters as well as advisers) to assist in the collection process
The Permanent Forum urges Member States, the United Nations system and private philanthropic institutions to fund activities for the implementation of the global action plan and invites UNESCO, as the lead agency for the commemoration of the International Decade, to prioritize support for projects led by indigenous peoples. Languages on the brink of extinction must be afforded particular attention.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the World Bank brings its policy on indigenous peoples (OP 4.10) into full compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Forum attaches particular importance to the need for the Bank to adopt the standard of free, prior and informed consent and, in general, to institutionalize and operationalize an approach based on human rights. The Forum reiterates its recommendation, made at its twelfth session that the emerging instruments of the Bank and other agencies must be harmonized with the Declaration, which is regarded as a reflection of the minimum human rights standards necessary for the promotion and protection of indigenous peoples, nations and communities. Such instruments should be consistent with or exceed those minimum standards. The Forum underlines the need for the Bank’s operational policies to use language that is consistent with the Declaration.
The Permanent Forum is concerned that the regional presence, representation and services of United Nations agencies in the Asia-Pacific region are limited mostly to the Asian subregion, and recommends that all United Nations agencies review their operations to provide equal services to the Pacific subregion and identify their operations separately according to the two subregions.
The Permanent Forum urges States to financially resource, empower and support local Arctic indigenous communities in order to give indigenous youth and women, together with other members of the communities, the opportunity to secure and develop their cultures.
Taking into account decision 22/16 of the Governing Council of UNEP, the Forum recommends that UNEP and relevant United Nations agencies and programmes hold consultations at the regional and national levels with indigenous peoples to examine this issue and prepare recommendations on possible further strengthening of the understanding of the link between environment and cultural diversity.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the invitation extended by the Russian Federation to hold a United Nations expert group meeting devoted to environmental and indigenous peoples’ issues in Khabarovsk, Russian Federation, in August 2007, and invites other States to follow its good example.
Considering the increasing impact of climate change on the health of indigenous peoples, particularly in terms of increased vulnerability to water-borne and vector-borne disease, the World Health Organization is encouraged to actively engage the Permanent Forum and its secretariat and establish a dialogue with a view to organizing a meeting on this issue in 2009.
The Permanent Forum recommends that any future agreements with the Plurinational State of Bolivia should provide, in particular, for means of protecting the territory of the Ayoreo people living in voluntary isolation
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations Secretariat collaborate with indigenous peoples’ organizations in investigating violations of indigenous peoples’ human rights committed by United Nations peacekeepers.
The Forum reiterates the recommendations contained in paragraphs 18 and 19 of the report on its first session:
(a) The Forum calls upon States to adopt the draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples before the end of the Decade;
(b) The Forum encourages States to include representatives of indigenous peoples’ organizations in their delegations to the informal intersessional meeting on the draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Human Rights Council consider:(a)The inclusion of an agenda item addressing the human rights of indigenous peoples in the ongoing work of the Council;(b) Including the human rights of indigenous peoples as part of its universal periodic review;(c)The inclusion of indigenous expertise in the new general expert advisory body being established by the Human Rights Council;(d)The interventions submitted by an expert member of the Permanent Forum to the Human Rights Council and the working groups on the ongoing reforms of the human rights mechanisms;(e) Maintaining and strengthening its expertise on indigenous peoples’ human rights issues.