A/HRC/39/50 limits and do not include the very old and those living in institutions such as nursing homes, which considerably limits their informative value and the possibility of assessing the inclusion or exclusion of older persons. Moreover, data sets may reflect outdated, biased or incomplete views about older age. Typically, age cohorts, such as 60+, represent older persons as a homogeneous group. There is a lack of adequate differentiation that would allow reflection on the particular heterogeneity of the target group. Intersecting characteristics, such as being an older woman, an older migrant or an older person with a disability, are not necessarily accounted for. Data sets on poverty often fail to capture the real extent of the poverty older persons face. The focus on household income presupposes that older persons receive an equal share to other members of the household, whereas in reality the needs of children are often prioritized. Also, older persons may have additional needs, as a result, for instance, of their mobility limitations or health condition, which would actually require a larger share of the household income. 34. Ensuring that no older person is left behind requires more than simple references to “all ages”. It is about recognizing the equal dignity and specific needs of older persons and about acknowledging and facilitating their past, present and future contribution to society through the application of a human rights-based approach to development. 35. While the Sustainable Development Goals seek to address some of the world’s most blatant injustices, there is no specific focus on exclusion in older age or the neglect and discrimination of older persons, despite existing population dynamics. Mainstreaming existing human rights norms into the Goals was a colossal task. The lack of attention to the specific challenges older persons face, as opposed to the focus put on other groups, such as children or persons with disabilities, is certainly a reflection of the lack of a dedicated legal instrument for older persons. 36. The absence of dedicated human rights standards to ensure the inclusion of older persons has a negative impact on follow-up and implementation. The Danish Institute for Human Rights, for instance, has developed an online tool linking the Sustainable Development Goals to human rights obligations and aimed at helping to anchor implementation strategies to human rights obligations.11 Similar efforts are being undertaken by OHCHR in linking the recommendations of the human rights mechanisms to the Goals in the Universal Human Rights Index. The few references to old age and older persons in international human rights law and in the Goals also result in there being little focus on this particular group by human rights mechanisms. Training materials and guidance targeting national implementation strategies are, as a result, unlikely to focus on older persons as a group. By contrast, the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the obligations that derive from it sparked the publication of a wealth of material to guide the mainstreaming of disability rights into development policies.12 37. While the Sustainable Development Goals certainly represent an important opportunity to integrate the rights of older persons into the global development agenda, it remains unclear how the promise to leave no one behind will be met for older persons. 2. United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) 38. The New Urban Agenda adopted at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) seeks to reinforce global efforts for sustainable development in the context of urbanization. 13 It offers a set of guidelines for States, local and regional authorities, civil society, United Nations agencies and others. It reflects a vision of urban settlements in which all persons enjoy equal opportunities thanks to inclusive, fair, safe, healthy and sustainable environments and policies. While it is nonbinding, the New Urban Agenda, alongside the implementation of the Sustainable 11 12 13 See http://sdg.humanrights.dk/. See, for example, www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/about-us/sustainable-developmentgoals-sdgs-and-disability.html. See http://habitat3.org/the-new-urban-agenda/. 9