A/HRC/15/37/Add.4 homelands provide to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as to the society at large. Overcoming indigenous disadvantage 91. The Government should be commended for efforts to address the socioeconomic disadvantage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As part of this process, the Government should seek to include in its initiatives the goal of advancing indigenous self-determination, in particular by encouraging indigenous self-governance at the local level, ensuring indigenous participation in the design, delivery and monitoring of programmes and developing culturally appropriate programmes that incorporate or build on indigenous peoples’ own initiatives. 92. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be fully consulted about all initiatives being developed to overcome indigenous disadvantage, including the national partnership agreements, at the earliest stages of the design of those initiatives. In particular, adequate options and alternatives for socio-economic development and violence prevention programmes should be developed in partnership with affected indigenous communities. 93. Relevant government agencies should facilitate greater decision-making power by indigenous peoples over the design and delivery of government services in their communities. The Government should support, both logistically and financially, indigenous programmes already in place that have demonstrated success and should also support the development of new indigenous service-delivery programmes. In this regard, the Government should look to establish a national focal point for skills training for the purpose of increasing the capacity of indigenous individuals and communities to be self-sufficient and to manage their own affairs, including their social and economic development. Health 94. While the Government has taken important steps to improve indigenous health, it should strengthen efforts to ensure that indigenous Australians have equal access to primary health care and that the basic health needs of indigenous communities are met, especially in remote areas. Every effort should be made to enhance indigenous peoples’ participation in the formation of health policy and delivery of services. The Government should ensure and strengthen support for health-care initiatives by indigenous communities and organizations as a matter of priority. All medical professionals should be provided with comprehensive, culturally appropriate medical training, and health services in the language of the community should always be available. Education 95. The Special Rapporteur recognizes the efforts of the Government to close the gap of indigenous disadvantage in the area of education. However, indigenous systems of teaching, cross-cultural curricula and bilingual programming should be further incorporated into the education of indigenous children and youth. In addition, indigenous communities and their authorities should have greater participation in educational programming. 96. Equal educational opportunities should be provided in remote areas, including Aboriginal homelands, in accordance with the recommendations contained in the 2008 Social Justice Report. GE.10-13887 21