The Forum recommends that the United Nations system continue its advocacy work on indigenous connectivity in preparation for phase II of the World Summit on the Information Society, to be held in 2005, taking into account the Declaration of the Global Forum of Indigenous Peoples and the Information Society and the Programme of Action. The Forum supports and applauds the decision taken by the Summit to establish multi-stakeholder portals that allow communication between indigenous peoples at the national level.
The Permanent Forum welcomes such initiatives as the indigenous and local community, business and biodiversity consultation, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 12 and 13 May 2009, as a useful dialogue between the private sector and indigenous peoples, and encourages further discussions with a view to ensuring the effective implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples while stimulating community-level businesses based on the sustainable use of biodiversity through such creative partnerships.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the document of the Commission of the European Communities (COM (2008)), Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council: The European Union and the Arctic Region delivered in Brussels on 20 November 2008 and urges the European Union to begin implementing the recommendations relevant to indigenous peoples from this document.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the document of the Commission of the European Communities (COM (2008)), Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council: The European Union and the Arctic Region delivered in Brussels on 20 November 2008 and urges the European Union to begin implementing the recommendations relevant to indigenous peoples from this document.
Recognizing the emerging role of civil society and indigenous peoples in the search for creative solutions as a means of contributing to formulating, developing and implementing policies and programmes of the United Nations system, the Forum welcomes the initiative of the Secretary-General to create a high-level panel to prepare a series of recommendations on the participation of civil society in the work of the United Nations system. The Forum recommends that the Secretary-General ask the high-level panel to hold consultations and to take into account the recommendations of the Forum on the improvement of indigenous peoples’ participation in and contributions to the work of the United Nations system.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other relevant organizations adopt targeted policies, programmes, projects and budgets designed to address the staggering prevalence of diabetes among indigenous peoples and put in place culturally appropriate health services, health education and awareness-raising initiatives to treat diabetes and prevent its rapid growth. Particular attention should be given to pregnant women, whose reproductive health is closely linked to the future risk of their children developing diabetes.
Reports received by the Permanent Forum indicate that United Nations agencies, notably UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), incorporate indigenous issues into their health programming at the country and regional levels and apply culturally sensitive approaches to health delivery. The Forum encourages those agencies to share their experience in health programming for indigenous peoples with other relevant United Nations agencies working in the field.
In accordance with article 42 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Permanent Forum urges States to conduct an independent audit of their constitutional and other laws, policies and programmes in order to assess their consistency with the Declaration and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and to amend such laws, policies and programmes in order to remove all forms of discrimination. In particular, the Forum urges States to prioritize laws, policies and programmes that target hate speech and political and racial vilification.
The Permanent Forum is concerned that the ruling of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Ogiek community in the Mau forest in Kenya has still not been implemented and calls on the Government of Kenya to urgently implement a sustainable system of equitable land tenure to prevent any further forced evictions; publish without delay the recommendations of the task force to advise the Government on the implementation of the decision of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in respect of the rights of the Ogiek community of Mau; enhance the participation of indigenous communities in the sustainable management of forests; and comply with the decision of the Court.
The Permanent Forum urges States and State-owned corporations to consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before the approval of any policies, plans and projects affecting their lands or territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of minerals, water and other resources, in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Plurinational State of Bolivia should continue to link its policies for the freeing of individuals and the recovery of lands in the Chaco region with a view to the territorial reconstitution of the Guaraní people, which both the Government and APG consider the ultimate objective.
The Forum recommends that Member States, United Nations bodies and mechanisms, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other parts of the United Nations system strengthen the machinery to address the urgent, gross and ongoing human rights violations, militarization of indigenous lands and systemic violence committed by Member States against indigenous peoples.