A/HRC/26/46 constituted more than 9 per cent of the population. Roughly 40 per cent of older persons in Kyrgyzstan received pensions, some of which were insufficient to satisfy their subsistence needs. That rendered them vulnerable, a problem compounded by discrimination. There had been no State surveys of domestic violence against older persons, but NGOs had identified substantial problems not reflected in government statistics. Analysis by the Resource Centre showed that violence against older persons was prevalent, and that most did not know their rights. Older persons, particularly those living in remote, rural areas, also had limited recourse. The abuse of older persons could take many forms (sexual, physical, economic and psychological), women’s limited access to land and property could exacerbate abuses, societal norms and shame hinder the reporting of and action against elder abuse, and problems with substance abuse, unemployment, availability of housing, and limited State capacity all further compound the challenges. Ms. Bashtovenko called for increased scrutiny of the problem, improved training of health-care specialists, law enforcement and State agencies, human rights education, and new prevention centres. 33. Silvia Perel-Levin, a representative of INPEA and ILC GA, emphasized the need to define elder abuse within the wider contexts of violence, cultural norms, sexism and ageism. Violence against older women was often the culmination of lifelong abuse and demanded greater attention to the circumstances of older women. Practices such as witchcraft accusations and forced remarriages which were used to dispossess women of their land and property must be stopped. Ms. Perel-Levin called for a holistic human rights approach, noting that society was responsible for the problem and must provide the solution. She recommended improved screening of, and monitoring by, health-care professionals, social workers and law enforcement, better data collection, and the creation of a United Nations dedicated mechanism similar to the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children to promote United Nations interagency collaboration on those issues. 34. In the ensuing discussion, representatives of ADI, AGE Platform Europe, CORV, and the Red Cross of Serbia and of Switzerland discussed the problem of neglect, violence and abuse against older persons. They emphasized the need to address the structural causes of those issues (i.e. poverty, gender and age discrimination, societal norms, and inadequate health care among others). For older persons with dementia, problems were exacerbated. Speakers called for improved analysis of violence, neglect and abuse against older persons through a more systematic international approach to data collection and monitoring. They also insisted on the importance of participation by older persons in addressing those issues. 35. In her concluding remarks, Ms. Perel-Levin agreed that addressing structural and societal forms of violence was a top priority. Referring to a Swiss study on the subject, she called for greater participation of older persons in policymaking. Ms. Brunne called for improved standards across the 56 UNECE member States. F. Older persons, autonomy and independent life 36. Nena Georgantzi, Legal Officer at AGE Platform Europe, explained through examples that societies and legal and social protection systems perceived declining abilities and dependence as the inevitable destiny of old age and restricted the autonomy of older persons. Informal restrictions based on stereotypes could also pose difficulties to maintaining autonomy as, for example, when older persons were not able to express wishes or were dependent upon the schedules and routines of carers. Maintaining the independence of older persons was about crafting inclusive solutions to permit them to contribute to society and maintain their independence, including during times of economic difficulty. Ms. Georgantzi stressed that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities did 10