The Permanent Forum calls on the organizers of the forthcoming meetings of Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa to ensure the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples, virtually or in person, in the meetings that are to be organized later in 2021. The Forum encourages donors and civil society organizations to support indigenous peoples’ participation in these events.
The Permanent Forum recommends that WHO and FAO, together with the Inter‑agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues, promote dialogue forums at the national and regional levels between government ministries and indigenous peoples to establish culturally relevant strategies for addressing the epidemiological risks and the food and environmental crises resulting from the pandemic, as well as for addressing access to justice and the safeguarding of indigenous peoples’ territorial control.