A/HRC/39/50 80. More than half of the world’s population currently lives in cities, a number which is expected to rise dramatically in the next decades. Gentrification in the context of rapid urbanization may further contribute to the social exclusion of older persons. When lower-income urban areas undergo significant change owing to an influx of investment and/or more affluent residents, market interests tend to take precedence over the human rights of existing residents. As housing costs increase, older persons move to disadvantaged neighbourhoods on the outskirts of cities, losing their social ties and important reference points. Although gentrification has diverse effects on different people and groups, as services and safety may improve in gentrified areas, older persons tend to experience inequalities and marginalization in the context of urban regeneration and are more likely to experience poverty and other forms of social exclusion, as they are not routinely incorporated into the mainstream of thinking and planning around urban environments. 81. The Independent Expert notes that there is currently no specific universal human rights instrument on the rights of older persons. Specific provisions focusing on older persons, similar to those which exist for some other groups in focus, are therefore not currently available. Against that background, applying rights to older persons in the face of social exclusion can be challenging. The lack of a dedicated legal instrument for older persons may also explain the lack of attention to the specific challenges older persons face in the global policy framework, notably the Sustainable Development Goals, which guide the actions of the United Nations on the ground. It is primordial that the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is grounded in the normative framework to ensure the inclusiveness and sustainability of the gains over time. 82. The Independent Expert emphasizes the imperative to adopt a human rightsbased approach to ageing. This entails taking active measures against ageism and reconceptualizing the way in which societies view older persons, from passive receivers of care and assistance and an impending burden on welfare systems and economies, to active contributors to society. 83. To foster the social inclusion of older persons, the Independent Expert stresses the need to mainstream their rights in development, in urban policies and in poverty reduction strategies, including by installing processes that allow policies and plans that promote or reinforce discrimination against older persons to be scrupulously scrutinized. It also requires a variety of housing options to be available, such as mixed and designated communities, age-adapted homes and flat-sharing concepts, to ensure that older persons can age in place and fully enjoy their right to adequate housing. 84. Social protection has an important role in preventing exclusion from material and financial resources in old age. Non-contributory systems are the only means to ensure universal coverage and address gender imbalances. The Independent Expert recommends the development of participatory mechanisms of policy design and approaches to development that allow for the active engagement of older persons in decision-making. Such initiatives should move from simple consultative mechanisms to co-research or co-design with or by older persons and take due account of involving diverse groups of older persons, notably those who experience multiple forms of discrimination and are particularly vulnerable to high incidences of poverty and social exclusion, 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 migrants and refugees, among other groups. 85. There is a need to improve the knowledge basis regarding the living conditions, experiences, needs and rights of older persons through dedicated studies, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, audits, inclusive data collection and non-discriminatory indicators that reflect the realities of older persons and can provide effective evidence for the equitable delivery and monitoring of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda and national policymaking. Investment in research at the intersection of disciplines is also required, in particular sociology, urbanism and human rights, to gain a better understanding of how to promote ageing 17