RES/21/23 The human rights of older persons

GE.12-17657

Human Rights Council Twenty-first session

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights,

including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council 

21/23.

The human rights of older persons

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 65/182 of 21 December 2010 on the follow-

up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing, in which the Assembly established an open-

ended working group for the purpose of strengthening the protection of the human rights of

older persons by considering the existing international framework of the human rights of

older persons and identifying possible gaps and how best to address them, including by

considering, as appropriate, the feasibility of further instruments and measures,

Recognizing that older persons face specific vulnerabilities and challenges in the

enjoyment of all human rights, that current international initiatives on the matter have been

insufficient and that enhanced measures are needed without delay,

Bearing in mind the Political Declaration and the Madrid International Plan of

Action on Ageing of 2002 and relevant General Assembly resolutions,

Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the follow-

up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing1 and of the report of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights of older persons,2

Recalling general comment No. 6 of the Committee on Economic, Social and

Cultural Rights on the economic, social and cultural rights of older persons, as well as other

relevant documents by treaty bodies,

Conscious that older persons represent a large and growing segment of the

population and that greater attention is needed to the specific human rights challenges

affecting them,

 The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its twenty-first session (A/HRC/21/2), chap. I.

1 A/67/188.

2 E/2012/51.

United Nations

A/HRC/RES/21/23

Concerned at the multiple forms of discrimination that may affect older persons and

at the high incidence of poverty among this particularly vulnerable group, especially older

women, persons with disabilities, persons of African descent, individuals belonging to

indigenous peoples, persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and

linguistic minorities, rural persons, persons living on the streets and refugees, among other groups,

1. Recognizes the challenges related to the enjoyment of all human rights that

older persons face in areas such as prevention and protection against violence and abuse,

social protection, food and housing, employment, legal capacity, access to justice, health

support, long-term and palliative care, and that those challenges require in-depth analysis

and action to address protection gaps;

2. Notes with appreciation multilateral, regional and subregional initiatives

aimed at the promotion and protection of rights of older persons, including discussions on

possible normative standards;

3. Calls upon all States to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human

rights and fundamental freedoms for older persons, including by taking measures to combat

age discrimination, neglect, abuse and violence, and to address issues related to social

integration and adequate health care, bearing in mind the crucial importance of family

intergenerational interdependence, solidarity and reciprocity for social development;

4. Encourages all States to conduct their age-related policies through inclusive

and participatory consultations with relevant stakeholders and social development partners

in the interest of developing effective policies creating national policy ownership and

consensus-building;

5. Calls upon all States to enhance their existing mechanisms related to the

protection and promotion of human rights for older persons, including by adopting, as

appropriate, legal or other dedicated mechanisms;

6. Encourages all States to raise awareness of the challenges facing the

enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, and to ensure that older persons receive

information about those rights;

7. Invites existing special procedures and encourages treaty bodies, within their

existing mandates, to pay attention to the human rights of older persons;

8. Encourages all States to consider including in their national reports, to be

submitted for the universal periodic review, information on the human rights of older

persons;

9. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human

Rights to organize, in Geneva, an intersessional public consultation on the promotion and

protection of the human rights of older persons, with the participation of States Members of

the United Nations, relevant international organizations, United Nations agencies and

stakeholders, in order to receive information and share good practices on the matter;

10. Also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to present a summary

report of the above-mentioned consultation to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-

fourth session;

11. Decides to continue consideration of the question of human rights of older

persons at its twenty-fourth session.

38th meeting

28 September 2012

[Adopted without a vote.]