The Permanent Forum welcomes resolution 176 EX/59 of the UNESCO Executive Council relating to indigenous languages and encourages member States, experts and UNESCO to conduct a preliminary study on the technical and judicial aspects of a possible international normative instrument for the protection of indigenous languages and languages under threat of extinction, including an analysis of the programmes UNESCO has carried out in this area, articulating linkages with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as adopted by the Human Rights Council in June 2006, to be submitted to the Executive Council of UNESCO at its 179th session.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States support the creation of indigenous language and cultural studies centres in universities and encourage universities to provide permanent teaching positions for indigenous peoples in those study centres; urges States to adopt a policy of free university tuition for all indigenous peoples; encourages those universities that have not already done so to establish designated places and scholarships for indigenous students; and encourages UNESCO to support those initiatives where applicable.
Follow the principle of free, prior and informed consent at all levels and take into account both the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics as established by the Statistical Commission and provisions on human rights and fundamental freedoms and data protection regulations and privacy guarantees including respect for confidentiality. For indigneous peoples living in voluntary isolation, data-collection exercises should not be used as a pretext for establishing forced contact
The Forum recommends that UNDP continue its work on supporting local-level initiatives, such as the equator initiative, the community water initiative, the community-based initiative and the assisting communities together project.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNESCO reinforce quality education by building indigenous knowledge and culture into education programmes and curricula, including education for sustainable development and for natural disaster preparedness, and promoting the use of indigenous language as the medium of instruction. The important role of indigenous learning methodologies, including experiential learning with community members outside of the classroom, should also be included.
The Forum reiterates its health recommendations made at its first and second sessions, in particular those contained in chapter I, section B, paragraphs 63 to 82 of its report on its second session.2
The Forum recommends that the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme urge States to ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and adopt the recommendations of the Conference of the Parties relating to its implementation.
The Forum underlines the importance for country-specific special rapporteurs, thematic special rapporteurs, experts and representatives of the Commission on Human Rights to pay special attention to the situation of indigenous peoples in their respective fields.
As a result of the dialogue between the expert members of the Permanent Forum and Member States, the Forum recommends that all Member States:
(a) Prepare, for the Forum at its sixteenth session, reports on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration in their countries, with a focus on progress and outstanding issues, in particular in relation to legislative measures;
(b) In recognition of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration, organize activities to commemorate the adoption at various levels, from local to national, including to raise public awareness of the Declaration and the progress achieved.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the increased cooperation between itself and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and strongly recommends that the Human Rights Council maintain the mandate of the Special Rapporteur.
The Durban Review Conference welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which should be used to combat racism against indigenous peoples. The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues decides to have a half-day session on the theme of “Addressing the elimination of racism against indigenous peoples”. This session will be held during the 2011 meeting of the Permanent Forum.
The Permanent Forum recommends that Paraguay should propose the negotiation of international agreements for protection of the rights of indigenous peoples with the other States of the Chaco region — the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil — and particularly with the Plurinational State of Bolivia with a view to the latter’s development of additional policies aimed at the freeing of individuals, the recovery of land and the rebuilding of peoples.