A/HRC/9/9 page 9 25. Articles 29 and 30 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child address specifically the rights of indigenous children to their own cultures, religions and languages. On the basis of these and other provisions of the Convention, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has devoted considerable attention to the specific needs and circumstances of indigenous children in its review of the application of the Convention.12 The Committee against Torture, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families have also paid specific attention to the situation of indigenous persons in their periodic examination of States’ implementation of the respective conventions. CEDAW has further addressed the special circumstances faced by indigenous women in its general recommendation No. 24 (1999) on women and health.13 26. In addition to the activities of the United Nations human rights mechanisms, provisions directly related to the human rights of indigenous peoples have been included in the declarations and programmatic statements emanating from United Nations issue-specific world conferences in the last several years. Notably, in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the World Conference on Human Rights called upon States to “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 “recognize the value and diversity of their distinct identities, cultures and social organization”.14 27. Indigenous peoples’ contribution to cultural diversity and intangible heritage worldwide has been acknowledged in instruments recently adopted by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO).15 In addition, principles derived from indigenous peoples’ rights in connection with lands, territories and resources have been incorporated into a number of international environmental instruments.16 This includes the provisions of article 8 (j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, affirming indigenous peoples’ rights to their traditional knowledge, which has led to a specific follow-up mechanism 12 See in particular the recommendations of the Day of General Discussion on the rights of indigenous children, 3 October 2003. 13 Para. 6. 14 Para. 20. 15 UNESCO Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001), art. 4; Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), sixth preambular paragraph. 16 United Nations non-legally binding authoritative statement of principles for a global consensus on the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests (1992), paras. 2, 5-6, 12; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992), art. 3; United Nations Convention to combat desertification in those countries experiencing serious droughts and/or desertification, particularly in Africa (1994), art. 10.2.e.