A/HRC/26/46 I. Introduction 1. The Human Rights Council, in its resolution 6/13, preserved the Social Forum as a space for dialogue between the representatives of Member States and civil society, including grass-roots and intergovernmental organizations, on issues linked with the promotion of the enjoyment of all human rights by all.1 2. In accordance with resolution 24/25 of the Council, the Social Forum was held in Geneva from 1 to 3 April 2014 and considered “the rights of older persons, including best practices in this regard”. The President of the Council appointed Mónica Roqué, National Policy Director on Older Persons at the Ministry of Social Development of Argentina, the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the 2014 Social Forum. 3. The programme of work2 for the Social Forum had been prepared with guidance from the Chairperson-Rapporteur and input from Member States and other relevant stakeholders. Background reports, made available by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) pursuant to paragraph 8 of Council resolution 24/25, informed the discussions.3 The present report contains a summary of the proceedings, and its conclusions and recommendations. II. Opening of the Social Forum 4. In her opening remarks, the Chairperson-Rapporteur observed that humanity faced unprecedented changes as ageing populations produced both new challenges and opportunities.4 She called for action to protect older persons from poverty, marginalization, discrimination, inadequate access to health and social services, negative stereotypes, abuse, maltreatment, and other threats to their well-being and autonomy. Noting that population ageing trends would continue to accelerate, she recommended immediate action to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of older persons. Here, she noted with approval the appointment by the Human Rights Council of an Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, while calling for further action to develop and implement a binding treaty on the rights of older persons. 5. Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered opening remarks. She observed that the ongoing demographic transformation throughout the world would result in older persons outnumbering children by 2050. Older persons were often subjected to abuse, discrimination, neglect, exclusion and other violations of human rights. Noting the absence of an explicit prohibition of age discrimination and other specific forms of protection for older persons in international human rights law, the High Commissioner called for the articulation of clear and coherent standards on their human rights through the drafting of a dedicated instrument. She encouraged participants to actively engage in dialogue on that issue and to support the future work of the Human Rights Council, the new Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons (Independent Expert), and the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing for the 1 2 3 4 For further details on the Social Forum, see www.ohchr.org/EN/issues/poverty/sforum/pages/sforumindex.aspx. Available from: www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/SForum/Pages/SForum2014.aspx. A/66/173, A/HRC/24/25, E/2012/51 and A/AC.278/2013/CRP.1. Full versions of statements and presentations made available to the Secretariat are posted on the OHCHR website at www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/SForum/Pages/SForum2014.aspx. 3