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V. Conclusions and recommendations towards the
establishment of the sustainable development goals
83. Engaging in partnerships with indigenous peoples to define strategies to
progressively achieve their economic, social and cultural rights is not only a
duty of States under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it is
also an invaluable contribution to strengthening the diversity of sustainable
livelihood systems and economies that include both market, non-market and
other approaches for a more equitable and sustainable sharing of wealth and
resources.
84. In concluding her first report to the General Assembly, the Special
Rapporteur underlines the unique opportunity that the global community has
to use the design, implementation and monitoring processes related to the
sustainable development goals to address the persistent discrimination against
indigenous peoples, as individuals and as collectives, and with regard to both
access to and adequacy of development intervention.
85. Overcoming discrimination against indigenous peoples, and indigenous
women in particular, will require concerted efforts and, in many cases, special
measures. The Special Rapporteur expresses her hope that the global
community is ready to take the necessary steps to end the historical injustices
committed against indigenous peoples, and provides the following
recommendations to that effect:
(a) The processes to define, implement and monitor the sustainable
development goals should be used as a vehicle to address the aspirations of
indigenous peoples for self-determined development, and to achieve equality in
development outcomes. This will require the full and effective participation of
indigenous peoples in the definition, implementation and monitoring of the
goals at both the international and national levels, including the establishment
of regular mechanisms for consultation and participation;
(b) The universality of the proposed sustainable development goals is a
unique opportunity to highlight and address existing inequalities between the
indigenous and non-indigenous sectors of the population in all countries across
the globe. In order to monitor discrimination, recurrent data gathering
processes, such as population and housing censuses, should disaggregate data,
using self-identification as a key criterion for the identification of indigenous
peoples. Additional specific indicators and related data-gathering processes
should be developed to monitor essential aspects of indigenous peoples’ selfdetermined development, such as security of tenure with regard to lands,
territories and natural resources;
(c) States should adopt broad measures to ensure respect for indigenous
peoples’ labour rights, as well as special measures to address the situation of
groups that are most vulnerable to forced labour, child labour, sexual
exploitation and trafficking;
(d) The disadvantages faced by indigenous peoples with regard to
education and health should be addressed by identifying the multiple drivers of
marginalization, adopting integrated policy approaches that address
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