A/HRC/27/66 prevention, and States should take the opportunity to learn about time-tested indigenous practices that have arisen from a close relationship with the environment, and include these lessons in their planning. 46. Ideally, this inclusive process would build bridges for collaboration between indigenous communities and the government agencies responsible for disaster risk reduction, in the interest of improving risk reduction strategies. Rather than imposing topdown processes, it is important to respect the culture of the at-risk community; effective planning for disaster risk reduction cannot be undertaken without engaging the people themselves and ensuring that the strategies that are agreed upon remain their own. 47. Indigenous peoples must have fully engaged, from the planning stages onwards, in order to reduce disaster risk and vulnerability. The practice of imposing centralized solutions on local problems (many of which already have successful local solutions) can lessen the community’s capacity to reduce risk and save lives. They must have opportunities to develop their own strategies as well as to exercise their right to participate in the development of national and international policies, as called for in the Declaration. 48. The lack of legal recognition of indigenous peoples with collective rights likewise increases their vulnerability and restricts their participation. With this lack of recognition and protection by States, the security of their persons and properties and their ownership of their lands and resources are always threatened by imposed development projects. This threat affects their traditional knowledge, as well. 49. The international community should involve indigenous peoples in disaster risk reduction strategies. Additional effort is required in order to ensure that these initiatives result in tangible and sustainable programmes that promote a human rights–based approach to disaster risk reduction. The Pan American Health Organization — a regional office of the World Health Organization, for the Americas — is developing a model initiative of collaboration with indigenous community leaders throughout the Americas to improve disaster risk management. A questionnaire has been circulated to collect baseline data, and a Hemispheric Consultation on Engaging Indigenous Peoples in Disaster Risk Reduction is planned for mid-2014. The expected outcome of this dialogue will be effective approaches to reduce the risk of disasters and other public health events of international concern, and strategies to remove the challenges that exist to their universal implementation. C. Contribution of indigenous peoples to their own and to national resilience 50. As discussed above, article 31 of the Declaration provides a framework for the recognition and protection of indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge. In addition, article 8 (j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity requires its Contracting Parties to “respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity…”29 51. Indigenous communities hold time-tested knowledge and coping practices developed through their intimate connection with their natural surroundings that make them resilient to climate-related natural hazards and disasters. This knowledge is a living practice, which can adapt in response to changing circumstances. Indigenous knowledge “includes an understanding of the relationships between indigenous societies and nature, 29 Article 8 (j): Traditional knowledge, innovations and practices. Available from www.cbd.int/traditional/ (accessed 4 August 2014). 13