Social Justice Report 2006: Appendix 4: Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People

Social Justice Report 2006

Appendix 4: Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People

This Appendix reproduces materials approved by the United Nations General Assembly when establishing the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. It also extracts and briefly comments on the main provisions of the Program of Action for the Second Decade.

Background

The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/59/174 on 22 December 2004 to establish a Second International Decade for the World's Indigenous People. The Second Decade commenced on 1 January 2005 and will conclude in 2015.

The Second Decade provides a focal point for all UN activity on indigenous peoples over the next ten years. It is also designed to guide and foster action by governments, civil society organisations and others to ensure that ‘all indigenous people everywhere enjoy full human rights and real and measurable improvements in their living conditions.' [1]

The Second Decade calls for governments and all members of the international community to work in partnership with indigenous peoples. It follows on from the International Year for the World's Indigenous People in 1994 and the First International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995-2004) which had as its theme ‘Indigenous people: partnership in action.'

The main objective of the First Decade was to strengthen international cooperation to address the problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health. These areas are the subject of ongoing attention in the Second Decade, as well as the new are of ‘culture'.

The fact that the General Assembly agreed to establish a Second Decade is an acknowledgement by the leadership of the international community that several of the key objectives of the First Decade had not been achieved. Principal among these was the failure to finalise and adopt the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples prior to the conclusion of the First Decade. The establishment of a Second Decade is also an acknowledgement that renewed international commitment and action on the ground are needed to address indigenous peoples' ongoing marginalisation and disadvantage.

Establishment of the Second Decade

The General Assembly prefaced its resolution to establish the Second Decade with an acknowledgement of the unique status of the world's indigenous peoples, and a reiteration of the various commitments the international community has made since 1993 to protect and promote their human rights. Although the General Assembly acknowledged the achievements of the First Decade for Indigenous People, the following extract from the preamble to the resolution indicates that it remains concerned by the persistent economic and social disadvantage of indigenous peoples in many parts of the world:

The General Assembly,

Bearing in mind that, in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights recognized the inherent dignity and the unique contribution of indigenous people to the development and plurality of society and strongly reaffirmed the commitment of the international community to their economic, social and cultural well-being and their enjoyment of the fruits of sustainable development,

Reaffirming that States should, in accordance with international law, take concerted positive steps to ensure respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, on the basis of equality and non-discrimination, and recognizing the value and diversity of their distinctive identities, cultures and social organization, ...

Welcoming all achievements during the Decade, in particular the establishment of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and the contributions to the realization of the goals of the Decade made by the Permanent Forum, the Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, such as the comprehensive work programme that the Permanent Forum is carrying out for the benefit of indigenous peoples in the area of culture, education, environment, health, human rights and social and economic development,

Taking due note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 2004/62 if 21 April 2004, in which the Commission expressed its deep concern about the precarious economic and social situation that indigenous people continue to endure in many parts of the world in comparison to the overall population and the persistence of grave violations of their human rights, and reaffirmed the urgent need to recognize, promote and protect more efficiently their rights and freedoms, [emphasis added]

Recalling that in its resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994 it expressly put on record its expectations of achieving the adoption of a declaration on indigenous rights within the International Decade and that in its resolution 50/157 of 21 December 1995 it decided that the adoption by the General Assembly of a declaration on the rights of indigenous people constituted a major objective of the Decade, and noting the progress made in the recent rounds of negotiations in the open-ended inter-sessional working group on the Commission on Human Rights charged with elaborating a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous people established pursuant to Commission resolution 1995/32 of 3 March 1995. [2]

The resolution establishing the Second Decade put in place a range of measures to assist in the coordination and financing of the Decade. These include:

• A Voluntary Fund to which governments, non-government organisations, private institutions and others can contribute money to fund projects during the Second Decade. [3]

• The position of Coordinator of the Second Decade, which is to be held by a senior representative of the UN bureaucracy. [4] The role of the Coordinator will be critical in facilitating cooperation between governments, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Indigenous Peoples' Organisations and other relevant bodies within the UN system working with indigenous peoples. [5]

• An appeal to all relevant organisations within the UN system to take special account of the needs of indigenous peoples in their budgeting and programming, and to explore ways to make their existing programs and resources more beneficial for indigenous peoples. [6]

Other important tasks and challenges addressed in the resolution include:

• The finalisation and adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is set as an urgent priority for governments and other parties. [7]

• Governments are to ensure that their activities and objectives for the Second Decade are planned and implemented with the ‘full consultation and collaboration of indigenous people'. [8]

Key paragraphs of the resolution include:

The General Assembly:

3. Requests the Secretary-General to appoint the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs as the Coordinator for the Second Decade;

4. Requests the Coordinator to fulfil the mandate in full cooperation and consultation with Governments, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and other relevant bodies and mechanisms of the United Nations system, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, other members of the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Issues and indigenous and non-governmental organizations;

5. Invites Governments to ensure that activities and objectives for the Second Decade are planned and implemented on the basis of full consultation and collaboration with indigenous people;

6. Appeals to the specialized agencies, regional commissions, financial and development institutions and other relevant organizations of the United Nations system to increase their efforts to take special account of the needs of indigenous people in their budgeting and in their programming;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to establish a voluntary fund for the Second Decade, which to all juridical purposes and effects should be set up and should discharge its functions as a successor to the already existing voluntary fund established for the present Decade pursuant to General Assembly resolutions 48/163, 49/214 and 50/

9. Urges Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to contribute to the voluntary fund for the Second Decade established by the Secretary-General, and invites indigenous organizations and private institutions and individuals to do likewise;

10. Urges the competent United Nations organs, programmes and specialized agencies, in planning activities for the Second Decade, to examine how existing programmes and resources might be utilized to benefit indigenous people more effectively, including through the exploration of ways in which indigenous perspectives and activities can be included or enhanced;

12. Urges all parties involved in the process of negotiation to do their utmost to carry out successfully the mandate of the open-ended intersessional working group established by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 1995/323 and to present for adoption as soon as possible a final draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to give all the assistance necessary to ensure the success of the Second Decade;

Program of Action for the Second Decade

On 21 November 2005, the Program of Action for the Second Decade was approved by the UN General Assembly following extensive consultations. [9] The Program of Action contains the mottos, goal, objectives, areas of action, and the mechanisms to promote and monitor the Second Decade of the World's Indigenous People.

The Introduction to the Program of Action sets out the themes or mottos for the Second Decade, which are:

• Partnership for further action.
• Human rights in practice.
• Engagement for action.

• Agenda for life. [10]

The Introduction also establishes that the work of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples, particularly in relation to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, should inform the Plan of Action. The relevant paragraph reads:

4. The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues has been a valuable political meeting point for States, indigenous organizations, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations and has successfully acted as a catalyst for change. The direction and outcomes of the Permanent Forum should therefore be fully taken into account in a plan of action for the Second Decade. In addition, given the fact that the time frame for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals is the same as that of the Second Decade, the Goals and the Forum's focus and recommendations on them should also inform the plan of action. [11]

The goal of the Second Decade is the:

... further strengthening of international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment and social and economic development, by means of action-orientated programmes and specific projects, increased technical assistance and relevant standard- setting activities. [12]

The five key objectives of the Second Decade set out how the General Assembly intends that the goal will be met. This section of the Program of Action also invites governments, the United Nations system, inter-governmental organisations, indigenous peoples' organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other parts of civil society to implement the objectives through their work. [13] The objectives are as follows:

(i) Promoting non-discrimination and inclusion of indigenous peoples in the design, implementation and evaluation of international, regional and national processes regarding laws, policies, resources, programmes and projects;

(ii) Promoting full and effective participation of indigenous peoples in decisions which directly or indirectly affect their lifestyles, traditional lands and territories, their cultural integrity as indigenous peoples with collective rights or any other aspect of their lives, considering the principle of free, prior and informed consent;

(iii) Redefining development policies that depart from a vision of equity and that are culturally appropriate, including respect for the cultural and linguistic diversity of indigenous peoples;

(iv) Adopting targeted policies, programmes, projects and budgets for the development of indigenous peoples, including concrete benchmarks, and particular emphasis on indigenous women, children and youth;

(v) Developing strong monitoring mechanisms and enhancing accountability at the international, regional and particularly the national level, regarding the implementation of legal, policy and operational frameworks for the protection of indigenous peoples and the improvement of their lives. [14]

The areas for action in the Program of Action are those identified in the goal of the Second Decade, namely culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development.

This section of the Program of Action identifies clear responsibility for cooperation and action on the part of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organisations, governments (States), indigenous peoples' organisations and indigenous peoples themselves. An extract of this section is provided below:

1. Culture

11. The following recommendations are made for States, the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and indigenous peoples.

(a) International level

12. It is recommended that culture should be integrated as a prerequisite and a basis for development project design in order to build “development with identity”, respecting people's way of life and building sustainable human development.

13. All relevant actors are urged to implement the Action Plan of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity during the Second International Decade.

14. All relevant actors are encouraged to work towards the adoption and ratification by States of the draft convention on the protection of the diversity of cultural contents and artistic expressions to ensure the right of indigenous peoples to create and disseminate in a fair environment their cultural goods and services, and their traditional expressions, so that they might benefit from them in the future.

15. It is recommended that UNESCO should intensify efforts to promote and support the recovery of indigenous heritage and the oral tradition and ancient writings of indigenous peoples with a view to recognizing them as heritage of humanity under the framework of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

16. UNESCO is urged to establish mechanisms to enable indigenous peoples to participate effectively in its work relating to them, such as the programmes on endangered languages, education, literacy, nomination of indigenous sites in the World Heritage List and other programmes relevant to indigenous peoples.

17. The ongoing discussion of the World Intellectual Property Organization Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore should have as its clear objective the continued development of mechanisms, systems and tools that adequately protect the genetic resources, traditional knowledge and expressions of culture of indigenous peoples at the national, regional and international levels.

(b) National level

18. States are urged to develop policies and focused programmes to reverse ethnocentric perceptions of non-indigenous peoples of indigenous cultures, which are often stereotyped, folklorized and biased. The role of mass media is very important in that process.

19. It is recommended that programmes and initiatives relating to indigenous cultures should follow the principle of free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples. Particular caution should be exercised when elaborating tourism and national park projects in indigenous territories.

20. Relevant agencies and bodies of the United Nations system should consider developing international guidelines on free, prior and informed consent regarding traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples.

21. National measures are strongly encouraged to facilitate public communication between indigenous peoples and the rest of the population including access to mass media.

22. It is recommended that information and communication technology should be used to support and encourage cultural diversity and to preserve and promote indigenous languages and the distinct identities and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples in a manner that they determine best advances their goals.

23. Indigenous peoples are invited to strengthen measures to preserve, develop and promote their languages, histories and cultures through their oral histories and in printed and audio-visual forms.

2. Education

24. The following recommendations are made for States, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations.

(a) International level

25. It is recommended that global efforts should be made to raise awareness of the importance of mother tongue and bilingual education especially at the primary and early secondary level for effective learning and long-term successful education.

26. The international community should continue to promote bilingual and cross-cultural education programmes for indigenous and non-indigenous peoples, schools for girls and women's literacy programmes and share good practices in the field.

27. UNESCO is urged to identify universities, primary and secondary schools and teaching and research centres for indigenous peoples that fulfil satisfactorily their programmes and projects and grant them recognition and technical and financial support promoting their work.

(b) National level

28. It is recommended that emphasis on quality education in the mother tongue, bilingual and intercultural education that is sensitive to indigenous holistic world views, languages, traditional knowledge and other aspects of their cultures should be central in all programmes of education for indigenous peoples.

29. In the framework of the Millennium Development Goals and the UNESCO Dakar Framework for Action on Education for All, States should take legislative measures to eliminate national policies and practices that create further difficulties for indigenous children to enjoy their right to education.

30. It is recommended that there should be increased awareness of the importance of integrating indigenous learning systems and knowledge in formal and informal education for indigenous peoples. That includes teaching and learning the history, traditions, culture, rights, spirituality and world views of indigenous peoples and their ways of life. Special emphasis should be placed on the education of teachers at all levels to become more indigenous-sensitive, and indigenous schools should be set up in areas where indigenous peoples are the majority. States should recognize teaching centres in terms of labour and academic conditions in order to facilitate interchanges and cooperation among them.

31. All relevant actors are urged to provide focused programmes with increased state budgetary allocations, including scholarships to support the enrolment of indigenous persons in teacher-training programmes, colleges and relevant higher educational institutions. Special emphasis should be placed on the education of indigenous teachers at all levels.

32. In order for nomadic or semi-nomadic indigenous peoples to fully enjoy their right to education, culturally appropriate practices of education including the use of technologies should be established.

(c) Organizations of indigenous peoples

33. Organizations of indigenous peoples should consider: establishing and supporting indigenous schools and university-level institutions and collaborating with the relevant United Nations agencies; participating in the revision of school texts and the contents of programmes of study in order to eliminate discriminatory content and promote the development of indigenous cultures and, where appropriate, indigenous languages and scripts; and developing indigenous curricula for schools and research institutions.

34. Organizations of indigenous peoples should create documentation centres, archives, in situ museums and schools of living traditions concerning indigenous peoples, their cultures, laws, beliefs and values, with material that could be used to inform and educate non-indigenous people on those matters.

3. Health

35. The following recommendations are made for States, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations.

36. Access to comprehensive, community-based and culturally appropriate healthcare services, health education, adequate nutrition and housing should be ensured without discrimination. Measures to guarantee the health of indigenous peoples must be seen as a collective and holistic issue involving all members of the communities and including physical, social, mental, environmental and spiritual dimensions.

37. All relevant actors are urged to support and implement collection and disaggregation of data on indigenous peoples with special emphasis on indigenous children, including infants, based on criteria relating to ethnicity, cultural and tribal affiliation and language. In addition, the dissemination of information on such data to the widest possible extent among indigenous peoples, regional and local authorities and other stakeholders should be ensured.

38. It is recommended that regional and local consultations with indigenous peoples should be undertaken to appropriately integrate indigenous healers, indigenous concepts and understandings of health, wellness, healing, illness, disease, sexuality and birthing and traditional health systems into policies, guidelines, programmes and projects carried out during the Decade. Training and employment of qualified indigenous persons, including indigenous women, to design, administer, manage and evaluate their own health-care programmes must be taken into consideration.

39. All relevant actors are urged to guarantee indigenous peoples' access, especially women's access, to information relating to their medical treatment and to secure their free, prior and informed consent to medical treatment. Health research in or affecting indigenous communities must also respect their free, prior and informed consent which may implicate their intellectual property rights. Researchers, whether academic or private sector, must practise transparency regarding the potential economic benefits of any research or knowledge of indigenous healing practices.

40. It is recommended that national monitoring mechanisms for indigenous communities to report abuses and neglect of the health system to national health authorities should be set up and the legal framework to effectively address those issues should be put in place. The fundamental human rights and critical needs in the area of health of indigenous children, youth and women are of the highest priority and that fact should be recognized and promoted through the formation of focal points or committees within each agency, organization or institution, including the full and effective participation of indigenous women and youth in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of initiatives.

41. All relevant actors are urged to adopt targeted policies, programmes, projects and budgets for indigenous health problems in strong partnership with indigenous peoples in the following areas:

1. HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis;
2. Cultural practices which have negative impacts on health, including female genital mutilation, child marriages, violence against women, youth and children and alcoholism;
3. Environmental degradation that adversely affects the health of indigenous peoples, including use of indigenous peoples' lands for military testing, toxic by-product storage, nuclear and industrial exploitation and contamination of water and other natural resources;
4. Health problems connected to forced relocation, armed conflicts,
5. migration, trafficking and prostitution.

4. Human rights

42. The following recommendations are made for States, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations.

(a) International level

43. The finalization of negotiations on the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples and its adoption early in the Decade should be a priority for the Second Decade. The draft shall not fall below existing international standards. Consideration may be given to innovative methods for the Commission on Human Rights Working Group on the United Nations draft declaration on the rights of indigenous people.

44. It is recommended that there should be an increased and systematic focus on the implementation of existing international standards and policies of relevance to indigenous and tribal peoples.

45. It is recommended that a global mechanism should be established to monitor the situation of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and in danger of extinction.

46. International human rights treaty monitoring bodies and thematic and country-specific United Nations human rights mechanisms including the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people are invited to continue to or start to specifically address indigenous peoples within their mandates throughout the Second Decade and share their reports with the Permanent Forum.

47. It is recommended that programmes of education on the human rights of indigenous peoples should be developed and strengthened, including the current Indigenous Fellowship Programme of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in indigenous languages where possible, including relevant training materials that are culturally appropriate, and should advocate against stereotypes and ethnic stigmatization.

(c) National level

50. Governments are urged to launch a review of national legislations to eliminate possible discriminatory provisions with the full and effective participation of indigenous experts.

51. It is recommended that a special protection framework for indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation should be adopted and that Governments should establish special policies for ensuring the protection and rights of indigenous peoples with small populations and at risk of extinction.

52. It is recommended that Governments should consider integrating traditional systems of justice into national legislations in conformity with international human rights law and international standards of justice.

53. Advocacy for good governance by local and national administrations in areas populated by indigenous peoples is strongly encouraged.

55. It is recommended that Governments should support and broaden the mandate of existing national machineries for the promotion of equal rights and prevention of discrimination, so that they will include promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples. Legal centres could be established by national authorities to inform and assist indigenous people regarding national and international legislation on human rights and fundamental freedoms, to carry out activities for protecting those rights and freedoms and to promote the capacity-building and participation of indigenous peoples.

56. Governments are encouraged to further develop national legislation for the protection and promotion of human rights, including means of monitoring and guaranteeing those rights. Consideration should be given by States that have not yet done so to ratification of International Labour Organization Convention 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, and the strengthening of mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the Convention. Where it is not already the case, it is recommended that national constitutions should recognize the existence of indigenous peoples and make explicit reference to them, where relevant.

5. The environment

57. The following recommendations are made for States, the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations.

58. It is recommended that the indigenous-related elements of the programme of work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, especially on fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources, should be considered as part of the Programme of Action for the Decade, and in particular sustainable development and the protection of traditional knowledge should remain urgent priorities regarding the world's indigenous peoples.

59. Climate change and other stressors, in particular pollutants and the ecologically unsustainable use of natural resources, present a range of challenges for the health, culture and well-being of indigenous peoples, and pose risks to the species and ecosystems that those communities and cultures rely on. It is therefore essential to:

1. Work closely with indigenous and local communities to help them to adapt to and manage the environmental, economic and social impacts of climate change and other stressors;
2. Implement, as appropriate, sustainable and adaptive management strategies for ecosystems, making use of local and indigenous knowledge and indigenous peoples' full and effective participation, and review nature conservation and land and resource-use policies and programmes;
3. Stress the importance of promoting procedures for integrating indigenous and local knowledge into scientific studies, and partnerships among indigenous peoples, local communities and scientists in defining and conducting research and monitoring associated with climate change and other stressors.

60. It is recommended that programmes to strengthen synergies between indigenous knowledge and science should be developed to empower indigenous peoples in processes of biodiversity governance and assessment of impacts on territories, as part of the inter-sectoral project of UNESCO on Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

61. The Akwe: Kon Guidelines for the conduct of cultural, environmental and social impact assessments regarding developments proposed to take place on, or which are likely to impact on, sacred sites on lands and waters traditionally occupied and used by indigenous and local communities, must be taken into consideration and implemented in programmes and projects carried out during the Decade.

62. It is recommended that programmes and projects planned on traditional indigenous territories or otherwise affecting the situation of indigenous peoples should foresee and respect the full and meaningful participation of indigenous peoples.

63. It is urged that indigenous persons who promote the protection of the environment should not be persecuted or harassed for their activities.

64. All relevant actors are encouraged to develop and implement programmes and projects for natural disaster management at the national and community levels with indigenous peoples' full and meaningful participation.

6. Social and economic development

65. The following recommendations are made for States, the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and indigenous peoples.

(a) International level

66. It is recommended that agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system, including their governing bodies, should adopt programmes of activities premised on the human rights-based approach to development for the Second International Decade in their own fields of competence, in close cooperation with indigenous peoples.

67. All relevant actors are urged to establish, develop and promote strong partnerships among indigenous peoples, governments and intergovernmental bodies, agencies, funds, non-governmental organizations and the private sector during the Second Decade.

68. Indigenous peoples are encouraged to further develop sustainable practices, including subsistence practices and strategies of self reliance. Cooperation among indigenous peoples and other organizations is highly encouraged.

69. Strong grass-roots collaboration should be fostered by United Nations agencies, funds and programmes with local organizations of indigenous peoples in identifying and prioritizing programmes, projects and other activities. The United Nations system is encouraged to provide special support to initiatives of indigenous peoples to improve the sustainability of their practices and assist them when they seek alternatives for long-term perspectives of economic activity and community well-being.

70. It is recommended that governments and international agencies should establish policies that recognize environmentally sustainable pastoralism, hunting, gathering and shifting cultivation as legitimate activities, as in the case of farming and other types of land use.

71. Before the end of the Decade, development plans that directly or indirectly impact indigenous peoples should systematically include a provision on free, prior and informed consent.

72. It is recommended that the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues should oversee research on the socio-economic conditions of indigenous peoples, in collaboration with specialized agencies, indigenous organizations and Governments, which should result in a report on the state of the world's indigenous peoples. An additional series of publications should be created to inform policymakers and the world at large on indigenous issues.

73. It is recommended that programmes should be particularly focused on indigenous women and girls and, specifically, on their full and effective participation and the issue of violence against women and trafficking. Governments and the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations are urged to integrate a gender perspective in all programmes relevant to indigenous peoples, including indigenous cultural perspectives, and work towards the implementation of the recommendations on indigenous women, children and youth made by the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

74. States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and foundations are encouraged to contribute to the three United Nations Voluntary Funds established by the General Assembly to support the travel of indigenous representatives to United Nations meetings, the work of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the programme of the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.

75. It is recommended that there should be increased provision of technical and financial resources to build the capacity of indigenous peoples, government institutions and the United Nations system to address indigenous issues. Such provision should include the establishment of funds for international cooperation and funds for indigenous peoples in United Nations country offices. A process should be developed to facilitate the channelling of funds directly to indigenous peoples' organizations at the community level.

76. It is recommended that the Indigenous Fellowship Programme managed by the secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to place indigenous fellows at United Nations agencies, funds and programmes should be funded and launched. Governments and international institutions are urged to contribute to the Fellowship Programme through the United Nations Voluntary Fund for the Decade.

77. In capacity-building programmes and projects addressed to indigenous peoples, special attention should be paid to leadership training for indigenous women.

78. The United Nations system is urged to make efforts to hire indigenous individuals as United Nations staff members and experts in various fields.

79. It is recommended that consideration should be given to the establishment of a United Nations Indigenous Peoples' Fund, with adequate resources to support projects and programmes, jointly with indigenous peoples, in the areas of development, environment, education, culture, health and human rights.

80. The implementation of the Millennium Declaration, including the Millennium Development Goals, should be monitored by developing and effectively using environmental, social and human rights impact assessment methods and indicators that are sensitive to the realities of indigenous peoples.

81. It is recommended that quantifiable targets and benchmarks should be set during the Decade by States and the United Nations system to directly improve the lives of indigenous peoples and that such targets and benchmarks should be regularly monitored every two years, or half way through and at the end of the Decade.

82. All relevant actors are urged to further strengthen the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and its secretariat through financial, human and technical resources. Additional human and technical resources will also ensure that the activities of the Second Decade can be effectively facilitated and overseen by the Permanent Forum.

83. Appropriate strategic partnership of the United Nations system and the private sector may be explored, involving the joint development of projects with indigenous peoples and communities. The development of a strategy is encouraged for cooperation between the United Nations system and the private sector as regards indigenous peoples. Indigenous small and medium business should be given high priority for that effort. Pilot programmes in that area are encouraged.

84. It is recommended that the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations should facilitate, nurture, strengthen and multiply collaboration at the international, regional and national levels among indigenous and tribal peoples and other rural and urban communities on the other hand.

(b) Regional level

85. It is recommended that the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues should hold regional meetings on indigenous issues with existing regional organizations with a view to strengthening cooperation and coordination. The Permanent Forum should support regional initiatives of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, such as the Indigenous Peoples Programme of the United Nations Development Programme in Asia.

88. In an effort to systematize and build capacity, regional focal points on indigenous issues should be designated in all agencies, funds and programmes with regional offices that are mandated to follow up on the implementation of recommendations of the Permanent Forum and the objectives of the Second Decade. The Regional Programme on Indigenous Peoples in Asia of the United Nations Development Programme should be further strengthened, and its other Regional Bureaux should also develop such programmes.

(c) National level

89. It is recommended that specific policies should be considered at the national level for employment creation for indigenous peoples and for facilitating their access to financing, credit and the creation of small and medium businesses. Capacity-building measures by Governments are strongly encouraged to increase the access of indigenous persons to civil service, including through scholarships.

90. High priority is urged to systematize data collection and disaggregation and dissemination initiatives. Technical resources should be provided to national information systems to produce reliable statistics, so that the specific linguistic and cultural characteristics of indigenous peoples can be demonstrated. The work and studies of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean can be drawn upon as an example in developing more coherent systems for data collection with respect to indigenous peoples at the national level.

The final section of the Program of Action sets out the promotional and monitoring mechanisms that are to be used to ensure that beneficial outcomes for indigenous peoples are achieved. These are presented below in full.

The General Assembly recognises the need for indigenous peoples to take an active role at the local, national, regional and international levels in overseeing and reporting on the effectiveness of measures to implement the Program of Action. This is in addition to the requirement that indigenous peoples are ‘full and effective' participants in all implementation activities. [15]

To assist in tracking and measuring progress, all parties implementing activities under the Plan of Action are expected to adopt ‘concrete activities with specific benchmarks.' In addition to reporting at the national level, the General Assembly will receive annual reports from the Coordinator, as well as undertaking its own mid-term and full-term assessment of the Second Decade.

91. Governments; United Nations agencies, funds and programmes; other intergovernmental organizations; indigenous and other non-governmental organizations; and civil society actors are invited to adopt plans of concrete activities with specific benchmarks to implement the goal, objectives and programme of action of the Second Decade. Gender should be mainstreamed in such activities.

92. The Coordinator of the Second Decade should collect relevant information and submit annual reports to the General Assembly on progress made in the achievement of the goal, objectives and programme of action of the Second Decade.

93. The General Assembly should hold a mid-term and end-term assessment of the Second Decade to review progress.

94. Key to the implementation of the programme of action is the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples. It is also suggested that indigenous organizations should establish a council of indigenous peoples in each region or subregion at the international level with a mandate of evaluating on an ongoing basis the degree to which the goal, objectives and programme of action of the Second Decade are being realized.

95. It is recommended that indigenous organizations should establish committees at the national and local level to monitor the implementation of the programme of action.

96. It is recommended that there should be a designation of focal points at the country level among United Nations agencies, funds and programmes with country offices, with a mandate to follow up on the implementation of recommendations of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the goal, objectives and programme of action of the Second Decade.

97. It is recommended that Governments should establish national focal points on indigenous issues and on the Second Decade and intensify coordination and communication at the national level among relevant ministries, agencies and local authorities.

98. It is recommended that tripartite committees should be established at the country level composed of governments, indigenous peoples and United Nations country offices to promote implementation of the objectives of the Second Decade. The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues should consider the initiative to call for meetings at which indigenous peoples, governments and the United Nations country teams can exchange experiences with national institutions at the country level, while taking into account lessons learned from previous experiences in establishing and running such national committees. Civil society organizations may be invited to join that effort with the agreement of all three parties.

99. The United Nations system, including the Department of Public Information and the Inter-Agency Support Group for the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, States, indigenous organizations, other non-governmental organizations, academia and the media are invited to adopt measures to create broad awareness and mobilization regarding the Second Decade and its goal, objectives and programme of action. [16]

Endnotes

[1] United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, para3. [2] United Nations General Assembly, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/59/500)] 59/174. Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, 22 December 2004, UN Doc A/RES/59/174, preamble, available online at: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/520682?ln=en . [3] United Nations General Assembly, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/59/500)] 59/174. Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, 22 December 2004, UN Doc A/RES/59/174, para7-9, available online at: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/520682?ln=en . [4] Under-Secretary-General for the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. José Antonio Ocampo, was appointed Coordinator for the Second Decade in accordance with paragraph 3 of the resolution establishing the Second Decade. [5] United Nations General Assembly, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/59/500)] 59/174. Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, 22 December 2004, UN Doc A/RES/59/174, para4, available online at: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/520682?ln=en . [6] United Nations General Assembly, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/59/500)] 59/174. Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, 22 December 2004, UN Doc A/RES/59/174, paras6 and 10, available online at: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/520682?ln=en . [7] United Nations General Assembly, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/59/500)] 59/174. Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, 22 December 2004, UN Doc A/RES/59/174, para12, available online at: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/520682?ln=en . [8] United Nations General Assembly, Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/59/500)] 59/174. Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, 22 December 2004, UN Doc A/RES/59/174, para5, available online at: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/520682?ln=en . [9] This included an open invitation to all Governments as well as Indigenous organisations to submit proposals for inclusion in the Program in February ߕ discussion on this theme at the Permanent Forum in May 2005 and the Working Group on Indigenous Populations in July ߕ the circulation of a draft program for further comment to all governments as well as Indigenous organisations in May ߕ the revision of this following the Permanent Forum meeting in May 2005 and posting of a revised program on the internet, with further comments sought from all governments as well as Indigenous organisations. See further: United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, paras5-7. [10] United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, para8. [11] United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, para4. [12] United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, para.1. [13] United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, para10. [14] United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, para.9. [15] United Nations, General Assembly, Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UN Doc A/60/270, 18 August 2005, para94. [16] United Nations General Assembly, Draft programme of action for the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, 26 August 2005, UN Doc A/60/270/Add.1, paras 91-99, available online at https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/541596?ln=en , accessed 14 March 2007.