The Permanent Forum notes the valuable work carried out by indigenous communities and organizations thanks to the support of the trust fund in support of the Second International Decade and expresses its deep appreciation to the States that have contributed to the fund. However, the Forum deplores the fact that despite increasing project proposals, the funds available for grants have been diminishing. The Forum therefore strongly appeals to all States, the United Nations system, foundations and other donors to make generous contributions to the trust fund in support of the Second International Decade.
The Permanent Forum takes note of the recent declaration of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum, at its session held in Lima from 13 to 16 April 2008, and recommends that United Nations agencies, donors and States show their support and cooperation for the next session of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum, to be held in Colombia in 2011.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Statistics Commission advocate for the promotion of indigenous peoples’ issues in the 2010 round of population and housing censuses and the Demographic and Health Survey, and other surveys and censuses, taking into account the global synthesis report on indicators of well-being, poverty and sustainability submitted at the seventh session of the Forum. The Forum calls on all relevant United Nations agencies to support this initiative.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the resolution of the seventeenth Ibero-American summit of Heads of State which calls for a world conference on indigenous peoples, to be organized by the United Nations, and urges States to support this initiative at the General Assembly level.
The Permanent Forum urges States, United Nations agencies and indigenous peoples’ organizations to collaborate with UN-Habitat and other United Nations agencies in their development of policy guidelines for local authorities on urban indigenous issues.
The Permanent Forum recommends that urban indigenous issues be given important consideration on the agenda of the fourth session of the World Urban Forum, and notes the organization by UN-Habitat of a round-table event on this theme. The Forum urges States, United Nations agencies and indigenous peoples’ organizations to cooperate with UN-Habitat in the lead up to this and other events at the fourth session, including through input and participation.
The Permanent Forum welcomes the report of the international expert group meeting on indigenous languages, held in New York from 8 to 10 January 2008, and recommends that States and United Nations agencies engage with indigenous peoples to develop strategies to implement the recommendations of the report.
The Permanent Forum calls on States to immediately support indigenous peoples’ language revitalization efforts. This includes supporting the master apprentice programmes and assessment of language status, and the creation of increased links between formal schools and the family so that there is a continuous use of indigenous languages.
The Permanent Forum invites UNESCO to call jointly for a world conference on linguistic diversity, indigenous languages, identity and education. The United Nations Member States are encouraged to provide political and financial support for such a conference.
The Permanent Forum notes that the draft Nordic Saami Convention stands out as an example of good practice in empowering indigenous peoples to preserve and revitalize their languages. The Forum therefore encourages the Nordic States to support the process of the Saami Convention with a view to their adoption of it in due course.
The Permanent Forum notes the intention of the members of the North American indigenous caucus to hold a conference on indigenous children and youth in detention, custody, adoption and foster care, and urges members of the caucus to invite members of the Forum, Government representatives and youth representatives to discuss model programmes and effective measures to address the disproportional representation of indigenous children and youth in detention, custody, adoption and foster care.
A request of the UNPFII and the UN Youth Unit in DESA to continue facilitating the involvement of the Youth Caucus in its sessions.