E/2010/43 E/C.19/2010/15 implementing policies and programmes that tackle inequities and benefit vulnerable populations. The Permanent Forum shares the concern of UNFPA that gaps in information collected in demographic surveys can mask discrepancies in progress among indigenous peoples (for example, while poverty rates may decline within a particular country, they may remain higher among indigenous peoples in comparison with the general population). Concluding recommendations 61. The Permanent Forum notes with appreciation the active engagement of UNFPA with indigenous peoples in the regions of Latin America and Asia, as well as its detailed reporting on its work in these areas. The Permanent Forum invites UNFPA to continue reporting on its work and recommends that future reports deal with agency activities in all sociocultural regions or, if no relevant activities are under way in a particular region, the challenges to addressing indigenous issues in such regions. 62. The Permanent Forum commends UNFPA for its financial and technical support for strengthening national capacity for censuses, surveys and needs assessments, and for its focus on the 2010 round of censuses, the results of which will be critical for assessing progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. The Permanent Forum recommends that UNFPA vigorously promote the inclusion of indigenous peoples in the 2010 round of censuses, particularly in cases where Governments may seek to avoid questions pertaining to indigenous peoples. 63. The Permanent Forum commends UNFPA for its efforts to build staff capacity on indigenous peoples’ issues and recommends that such efforts continue, together with efforts to recruit indigenous peoples where possible. 64. The Permanent Forum recommends that UNFPA continue its work in support of the participation of indigenous women in regional and national consultations, including training and other capacity-building programmes. VI. Department of Economic and Social Affairs 65. The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues held an in-depth dialogue with the following six divisions of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat: the Division for Sustainable Development; the secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests; the Division for Public Administration and Development Management; the Statistics Division; the Division for the Advancement of Women; and the Division for Social Policy and Development, which hosts the secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. 66. The in-depth dialogue was held on 22 May 2009 as part of the new working methods of the Permanent Forum during its eighth session. The Permanent Forum welcomes the participation of the six divisions, and expresses its appreciation for the detailed and informative report submitted by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs on its activities in support of indigenous peoples (E/C.19/2009/3/ Add.4). 67. The Permanent Forum posed questions to the six divisions addressing a number of issues, including the following: 10-36959 41

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