E/2016/43 E/C.19/2016/11 20. The Permanent Forum welcomes the initiation of a national dialogue to discuss and achieve key constitutional reforms in the field of justice in Guatemala, and encourages the recognition of indigenous justice systems. The Forum urges Guatemala and the private sector, in addition to the World Bank and other international economic institutions, to acknowledge that serious efforts require structural economic and social reforms rather than rapid growth of gross domestic product in order to reverse widespread and growing poverty among the indigenous peoples of Guatemala. Such crucial reforms must ensure more equitable distribution and access to traditional lands for the indigenous peoples of Guatemala, consistent with the rights affirmed in the United Nations Declaration, and on the basis of respect for and legal recognition of their collective rights, including their self determined development. Furthermore, the Forum calls upon Guatemala to reinforce the effective and full implementation of the Peace Accords. 21. In accordance with international law, the Permanent Forum recommends that all States members of the Organization of American States recognize and respect that the United Nations Declaration constitutes the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of indigenous peoples of the world, and requests them to ensure that the draft American declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples is consistent with or exceeds the standards affirmed in the United Nations Declaration. 22. The Permanent Forum calls upon States to support the activities of representative institutions of indigenous peoples and to avoid any practice of limitation of such activities. The Forum urges all States to enable the functioning of indigenous peoples’ institutions, in accordance with articles 5, 18 and 19 of the United Nations Declaration, as well as its spirit and intent. 23. The Permanent Forum acknowledges the contributions of national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights, includin g the rights of indigenous peoples, and welcomes their participation in future sessions of the Forum. 24. The Permanent Forum welcomes the Alternative Communication and Information Caucus of Indigenous Peoples and its work on public education through dissemination of information, especially through community radio, on the United Nations Declaration and the system-wide action plan on achieving the ends of the Declaration. 25. The Permanent Forum remains concerned about the many indigenous peoples across the world, in particular in Africa and Asia, who lack legal and political recognition as indigenous peoples or even face the denial of their existence as indigenous peoples. Such denial of status and existence as indigenous peoples results in the violation of their human rights, as affirmed in the United Nations Declaration, the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other international human rights instruments, including the right to self-determination, culture, lands, territories and resources, traditional economies, free, prior and informed consent and redress, reparations and recourse. 26. Considering the calls by the Sami of Finland and the indigenous peoples of Canada, among others, the Permanent Forum respectfully requests that all Member States that have not done so take action to ratify ILO Convention No. 169. 16-08740 9/23