The Permanent Forum expresses concern that indigenous peoples are not receiving adequate information regarding the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level and encourages Governments, United Nations entities, indigenous peoples and civil society organizations to convene workshops and other forums to ensure their effective participation in implementing the 2030 Agenda.
The Permanent Forum notes the initiative of the United Nations country team in Nicaragua to establish a consultative committee comprising members of indigenous peoples, Afrodescendants and country team staff, in order to promote and strengthen the realization of the rights and principles set out in international human rights instruments. The Permanent Forum urges other United Nations country teams to follow this example and establish similar consultative mechanisms.
The Forum takes note with appreciation of the focus and work of UN-Habitat, particularly regarding the ongoing study jointly initiated with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on indigenous peoples and the right to adequate housing, and recommends that UN-Habitat submit a report on the conclusions and recommendations of this study to the Forum at its fourth session, and that it participate in the dialogue.
The Permanent Forum calls upon the World Bank to strengthen its accountability mechanisms so that they focus on situations in which its funded projects adversely affect indigenous peoples and also to proactively implement specific measures to meaningfully contribute to the progressive realization of the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination.
The Permanent Forum encourages the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), jointly with other United Nations agencies, to support the consolidation of the already established communication platforms in Latin America and Canada and to establish platforms in Asia and Africa and the Pacific. The Forum recommends that FAO and other agencies strengthen the reporting and monitoring mechanisms for the communication platforms, especially with a view to supporting indigenous peoples with a monitoring mechanism for their territories.
The Forum recommends that all relevant United Nations entities and Governments:
(a) Advise Governments to revise their national legal and administrative frameworks to ensure indigenous women’s equal rights and access to social and economic services and resources, including land ownership;
(b) Identify and give recognition to the capacities of indigenous women and their specialized knowledge in the areas of health, natural environment, traditional technologies, crafts and arts, and design appropriate employment and income-generating strategies;
(c) Provide indigenous women with the appropriate education and training resources so that they can effectively access and participate in mainstream national, regional and international economic institutions.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the launch of online courses on the rights of indigenous peoples offered by Columbia University, OHCHR, Tribal Link Foundation, UNDP and Universidad Indígena Intercultural, and recommends that academic, indigenous and other organizations and the United Nations system seek ways to provide access to these courses for indigenous peoples living in remote areas without Internet or digital devices. Special efforts should be made to make such courses available in various languages, including indigenous languages, and to make them accessible to indigenous young people. The Forum also recommends incorporating more indigenous knowledge into universities, in consultation with the indigenous owners of the knowledge, with the design of online course content that addresses specific local and national indigenous issues in different countries, and increasing the participation and voices of indigenous peoples in online courses.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the study entitled “Indigenous peoples and boarding schools: a comparative study” prepared by a consultant for the secretariat of the Forum and requests that it be made available as a document of the ninth session of the Forum in all official languages of the United Nations and that it be widely disseminated. The Forum decides in particular to transmit the study to UNESCO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, the Human Rights Council expert mechanism on the rights of indigenous peoples, the Committee the Rights of the Child and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The Forum recommends that WIPO undertake a study, in collaboration with Forum members, on the use of indigenous knowledge relating to medicinal plants and resources, the commercialization of such knowledge and how indigenous communities are benefiting from such commercialization.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Arctic Council formally engage with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to jointly follow up the International Experts Meeting on Climate Change and Arctic Sustainable Development: scientific, social, cultural and educational challenges (3-6 March 2009 in Monaco).
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Arctic Council formally engage with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to jointly follow up the International Experts Meeting on Climate Change and Arctic Sustainable Development: scientific, social, cultural and educational challenges (3-6 March 2009 in Monaco).
The Permanent Forum reiterates its call to Member States to establish mechanisms and processes for comprehensive dialogue and consultations with indigenous peoples in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent in relation to any project that will have an impact on their territories and resources. In this regard, the Forum expresses concern regarding the lack of consultation by the Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia with the indigenous peoples who will be affected by the mega-hydroelectric project of El Bala-Chepete and Rositas, including the Guarani, Mosetén, Tacana, Tsimané, Leco, Ese Ejja and Uchupiamona peoples. The Forum urges the Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to respect the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples and ensure that they are able to exercise their rights in accordance with international human rights standards.