A/64/338 indigenous institutions should be “in accordance with international human rights standards” (article 34) and calls for particular attention “to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities”, including in the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against indigenous children and women (article 22). With an appropriate understanding of these provisions, the Declaration is a powerful tool in the hands of indigenous peoples to mainstream human rights within their respective societies in ways that are respectful to their cultures and values. 4. Civil society 62. The kind of systemic changes required to operationalize the Declaration at the local level cannot be ultimately achieved without the involvement of society at large and the engagement of social sectors such as the educational system, the media, the arts, religious groups and the business community. Societal involvement is a prerequisite for eliminating entrenched discrimination and prejudices against indigenous peoples, particularly in the fields of education, culture and information. In this regard, the Declaration mandates that indigenous peoples’ “cultures, traditions, histories and aspirations … shall be appropriately reflected in education and public information” (article 15, para. 1), which is further extended to “privately owned media” (article 16, para. 2). The respect for indigenous peoples’ cultural property and traditional knowledge further touches upon the activities of other societal actors, including churches, academic and research institutions, and museums. 63. In view of their impacts on the activities and daily life of indigenous peoples, local and transnational business enterprises also have an important responsibility to respect and promote the rights and principles of the Declaration. This is particularly relevant in relation to the guarantees set forth in article 32 of the Declaration regarding development or resource extraction projects affecting indigenous territories. In this connection, the Permanent Forum has called upon transnational corporations to respect the standards affirmed in the Declaration.21 64. In the recent past, a number of local and international non-governmental organizations have played a central role in specifically supporting indigenous peoples’ demands and promoting the respect for their rights, for which they should be credited. They should be now seen as key actors in disseminating the content of the Declaration and in facilitating a constructive dialogue among States, indigenous peoples and other relevant stakeholders in order to promote its implementation. Some of these organizations are already engaged in such activities, which should be supported by States and the donor community at large. V. Conclusions and recommendations A. Cooperation with other mechanisms and bodies 65. Coordination with the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples and the expert mechanism on the rights of indigenous peoples is an important aspect of the implementation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. The respective __________________ 21 09-50281 E/2008/43-E/C.19/2008/13, para. 26. 19