A/HRC/26/46
highlighted the need to re-evaluate retirement ages, cope with increasing numbers of
persons with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, address the uneven gender distribution of
care burdens and improve the quality of care. There could be no limitations placed on
human dignity, which necessitated integral social security without restrictions.
Ms. Márquez Herrera appealed to States to redistribute resources so that everyone was
guaranteed a life of dignity in their old age.
28.
Maryam Al-Ansari, director of the Research and Development Department of the
Qatar Foundation for Elderly People Care, discussed the efforts of Qatar to promote the
rights of older persons at the national and international levels. The national Constitution
protected older persons and discrimination against them was prohibited. The State provided
a dignified life for older persons, including through social housing and the guarantee of a
basic income. A wide array of services including employment training and medical care
was available to older persons. There was an extensive and evolving system of laws and
policies designed to protect older persons and the Government engaged with regional and
international mechanisms addressing older persons’ issues. Ms. Al-Ansari anticipated that
Qatar would remain at the forefront of developments in that regard.
29.
In the interactive dialogue, representatives of Alzheimer’s Disease International
(ADI), Venezuela and CORV discussed pension reforms to protect older persons’ rights.
Speakers also emphasized the importance of social protection floors, and the challenges
faced by migrants and persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. They called for a multitrack pension system that would permit and promote individual retirement plans while also
guaranteeing access by all, regardless of contributions, to the bare necessities for a life of
dignity.
30.
In her concluding remarks, Ms. Al-Ansari called on States to respect the rights of
older persons and to provide for them. Ms. Márquez Herrera emphasized the complexity of
social security, its importance and the need to prevent interference from political and
economic interests with the rights of all persons to live with dignity. Ms. Frank advocated
improved monitoring and implementation of ILO conventions on social security. She noted
that, in addition to representing a moral and legal obligation, the social protection floor
would have economic benefits in most States. Ms. Guilbault called for a binding instrument
on the implementation of social security standards. Although current ILO recommendations
were not binding, widespread support for them indicated their normative character. ILO
recommendations also called for the equal treatment of migrants.
E.
Violence, neglect and abuse against older persons
31.
Viviane Brunne, from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) Population Unit, whose main focus was on population ageing, discussed the
work of UNECE on violence, neglect and abuse of older persons, including its policy
briefs. She spoke of physical, psychological, sexual, financial and material abuse, neglect
and self-neglect. Older persons and their caregivers might be susceptible to certain risk
factors which must be mitigated. Older persons became more susceptible if they lived
alone, were dependent on one family member for care, or had a limited social network.
Ms. Brunne called on States to ensure a better quality of life for older persons. She
described good practices, including the promotion of intergenerational programmes, the use
of volunteer networks to report abuse, and the monitoring, vetting and training of care
providers. She advocated a client-centred approach to older persons’ care that was sensitive
to language, culture, ethnicity and religion, promoted better evaluation of interventions, and
was based on relevant data.
32.
Svetlana Bashtovenko, president of the Resource Centre for the Elderly, gave a
presentation on the situation of older persons in Kyrgyzstan, where older persons
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