E/2010/43 E/C.19/2010/15 However, indigenous peoples constitute a disproportionately high number of the world’s rural poor. Furthermore, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples clearly provides a mandate to all United Nations agencies to work specifically on indigenous peoples’ issues. 31. In this respect, the Permanent Forum encourages countries members of FAO to push for more concerted action on this front. The absence of a specific mandate evidently causes some resistance within FAO itself — a resistance which impedes an area of work to which FAO could bring great benefits. 32. The approval of an FAO policy on indigenous peoples’ issues would allow the organization to address indigenous issues in a more consistent and committed way. Although the process of developing such a policy began some time ago, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has given a push to current efforts to complete that endeavour. Articles 41 and 42 of the Declaration clearly provide a mandate to all United Nations agencies to work specifically on indigenous peoples’ issues, and the Forum is pleased to hear that these will be taken seriously at FAO. 33. Mainstreaming indigenous issues in the work of FAO will undoubtedly take time. It is an effort that needs to be introduced gradually and that will have to proceed step by step. The Permanent Forum welcomes the FAO proposal that the adoption of the policy be followed by the development of an operational strategy and training programme to integrate greater awareness of indigenous issues into the organization overall and construct a feasible way forward. 34. The Permanent Forum supports the request of indigenous peoples to be more involved in FAO work. Although the primary recipients of FAO assistance are Governments, the suggestion that indigenous representatives be called upon to provide special advice and guidance is a welcome one which could set an important example. The World Summit on Food Security, which will take place at FAO later this year, will offer a good opportunity to begin greater collaborations of that kind. FAO has confirmed that an indigenous peoples’ forum will be held as part of the Summit; that event will allow indigenous voices to be heard and will serve to strengthen the momentum to ensure the more systematic consideration of indigenous issues within FAO. Concluding recommendations 35. The Permanent Forum thus welcomes FAO efforts to develop a policy on indigenous peoples’ issues which will help organization staff to work with indigenous peoples in a more systematic way. With a view to strengthening FAO work with indigenous peoples, the Permanent Forum encourages the organization to finalize the draft policy as soon as possible and to submit it to senior management for approval. 36. The Permanent Forum recognizes the initial efforts made by FAO towards the elaboration of a methodological discussion platform to address indigenous peoples’ territorial rights. The Permanent Forum recommends that FAO and other interested or partner agencies continue the joint elaboration of the participatory methodology and start using it in the field in order to strengthen the delimitation, titling and negotiated development processes specifically targeting indigenous peoples’ needs. 36 10-36959