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[source: NativeNews; Tue, 15 Feb 2000 10:53:26]

WG on Permanent Forum: Recommendations of the Indigenous Caucus

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 16:20:36 +0100
From: "Elsbeth Vocat" <evocat@nextron.ch>
Organization: Pueblo Indio

Recommendations of the Indigenous Caucus on the establishment of the
Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples in the United Nations system,
Geneva, 12-13 February 2000
 
 
1. The Establishment of the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples
 
The Permanent Forum as called by Indigenous Peoples meetings should be
established on a permanent basis in accordance with the UN General
Assembly
resolution 50/157 of l995 and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action of 1993.
 
2. Mandate:

Endorse the recommendation of the Chairman/Rapporteur
(E/CN.4/AC.47/2000/2)
to have the mandate modeled on Article 62 and 63 of the Charter of the
United Nations. Furthermore, the Permanent Forum should have, inter
alia,
the following mandates:
 
- To promote peace and prosperity in accordance with the Charter of the
United Nations, by developing friendly relations among Nations and
Peoples
based on respect for the principle of equal rights;

- To serve as the central forum for the discussion of indigenous
peoples’
issues and formulate policy recommendations on those issues addressed
to
Member States and to the United Nations system;
 
- To make or initiate studies and reports and make recommendations to
the
ECOSOC and/or General Assembly on political, economical, civil, social,
cultural, educational, health, environmental, developmental and other
matters related to Indigenous Peoples;
 
- To make recommendations to the ECOSOC and/or General Assembly on
urgent
problems requiring immediate attention with regard to Indigenous
Peoples
and to develop proposals to give effect to such recommendations;
 
- To review and coordinate all relevant United Nations plans, programs
and
instruments in the field of Indigenous Peoples;
 
- To rationalize, adapt, strengthen and streamline the activities of
the
United Nations system in the field of Indigenous Peoples;
 
- To call upon individual experts and establish ad-hoc working groups
in
specialized fields if and when necessary;
 
- To call international conferences and prepare draft standards for
submission to the ECOSOC and/or General Assembly on matters falling
within
its competence;
 
- To provide technical and advisory services for Members of the United
Nations and, on request, for the specialized agencies and
 
- To consult with indigenous peoples’ organizations and
non-governmental
organizations concerned with matters falling within its competence.
 
3.      Membership and Nomination of the Core Group
 
a. The Core Group should consist of an equal number of indigenous and
governmental representatives selected in accordance with their
respective
criteria and procedures.
b. The membership of the Forum should reflect the geographical and
cultural
diversity of the world in an equitable manner.
 
4.      Participation of observers in the Open Assembly
 
(a) All indigenous peoples’ representatives/organizations should be
able to
participate as observers in the Permanent Forum irrespective of whether
they have Consultative Status with the ECOSOC or not. The Permanent
Forum
can develop its own Rules of Procedure to establish its relationship
with
indigenous organizations.
(b) The Permanent Forum should develop relationship with the UN
specialized
agencies who can participate in the Permanent Forum as observers.
(c) Non-indigenous NGOs with Consultative Status can participate in the
Permanent Forum as observers.
(d)   Member States of the UN can participate as observers.
(e) The Permanent Forum should be able to call upon the experts if
required.

5.      The placement of the Permanent Forum in the United Nations
system
 
The Permanent Forum should be established at the highest possible level
within the UN system, with the level of the ECOSOC as the lowest
acceptable
level.
 
6.       Voting
 
  The members of the Core Group should have the right to vote. Decisions
should preferably be taken by consensus.

7.      The name of the Forum

Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples.
 
8.      Number of members

The Core Group should consist of 30 members.
 
9.      Rules of procedure
 
The Permanent Forum shall develop its own rules of procedure.
 
10.     Terms
 
  The members of the Core Group should be elected for 3 years, with the
possibility for reelection for a new term.

11.     Finance:
 
The Permanent Forum should be funded through the regular budget of the
United Nations.
 
A United Nations Fund for the Permanent Forum should be established to
assist the functioning and programs of the Permanent Forum including
the
participation of the observer indigenous representatives.
 
12.     Location of the Permanent Forum and Secretariat
 
The Permanent Forum should be located in New York. Its Secretariat
should
be established with key positions staffed by indigenous individuals.
 
 

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