A/HRC/26/46 binding instruments, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and the European Social Charter. It stated general principles, while not including an exhaustive definition of “older persons”. It included chapters on non-discrimination, autonomy and participation in decision-making (including issues of legal capacity inspired by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), protection from violence and abuse, social protection and employment, appropriate and affordable health care, and access to justice for older persons (including conditions of detention). States might participate in a voluntary follow-up process five years after adoption of the recommendation. 54. Jorge Plano, a member of the Executive Board of CORV, expressed his belief that strong governmental commitment to societal transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean combined with coordinated advocacy by civil society would lead to the eventual adoption of a binding regional instrument on the rights of older persons. The 2012 Santiago Civil Society Declaration stressed the role of civil society organizations in the region, and called for increased cooperation with governments. Other civil society and intergovernmental conferences on ageing had produced important outcomes, such as the Brasilia Charter and Declaration. Regional meetings included the participation of older persons, academics and NGOs. Civil society organizations had contributed by monitoring the situation of older persons, proposing changes in their treatment, and participating in intergovernmental processes at the Organization of American States. Mr. Plano advocated for the development of a universal, legally binding convention on the rights of older persons to promote a rights-based approach to public policies affecting them. Civil society and regional cooperation would be essential for the development of the convention. 55. Vitalija Gaucaite-Wittich, Chief of the Population Unit at UNECE, observed that UNECE included 56 countries (including all 47 members of the Council of Europe) in which one third of the global population of persons over 65 resided. UNECE therefore served as an important platform for sharing good practices on social policies, labour market participation and mobility of older persons, the growing base of older consumers, sustainability of pension systems, including through fiscal reform, long-term care and health provision, and documented and undocumented migrant care workers. Regionally, UNECE was in charge of the review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, and cooperated with the Council of Europe, inter alia. It also had national focal points on ageing, and monitored progress through its Working Group on Ageing, including tools such as the Active Ageing Index and longitudinal data of the Generations and Gender Programme. 56. In the interactive dialogue, representatives of the Ligue Marocaine, ADI, the German Institute for Human Rights, AGE Platform Europe, CORV, HelpAge International and the Association of World Citizens raised several issues, including the situation of older persons in Palestine, Syria and Iraq; how to move the discussion on a convention on the rights of older persons forward; the planned future work of UNECE on the rights of older persons, institutionalizing civil society participation in regional mechanisms, the draft protocol to the African Charter on the rights of older persons, and the situation of migrant workers upon retirement. 57. In his concluding remarks, Mr. Kloth stated that, beyond the adoption of a European non-binding instrument, there were discussions in the Latin American and African regions on binding instruments on the rights of older persons. The follow-up process to the Council of Europe recommendation on older persons would consist of State responses, which would be made public, but there was no mechanism for NGO participation. He suggested that NGOs advocate at the national level. Mr. Plano stated that, even if some regional initiatives were valuable, there was no equality between regions with regard to the realization of the rights of older persons. He called for a universal approach to older persons and the prohibition of age discrimination. Ms. Gaucaite-Wittich voiced the possibility that the 15