A/HRC/39/32 consider the natural process of ageing in all its stages. In conclusion, carers of older persons had a demanding job, and often lacked proper training and proper pay. In high-income countries, immigrants often carried out that job, as nationals would not want to do it, which was another manifestation of age discrimination. IV. Conclusions and recommendations 53. For the closing session, the Chair invited four panellists from previous sessions to make concluding remarks and recommendations on the way forward to achieve greater protection of the family and the human rights of older persons. They were asked to share their views from the perspective of States, national human rights institutions, United Nations human rights mechanisms, civil society and academia. 54. Ms. Gekht said that ageism was characteristic of countries where a deterioration of traditional family values was occurring. This had an impact on the respect for older generations. With regard to the situation of older persons who rights were violated, the State needed to make extra efforts, alongside social organizations. The State needed to create a network of institutions in the long term, but also social institutions that protected older persons. Social organizations and associations had an important role in providing legal aid and information to citizens when necessary, as well as in promoting the active involvement of older persons in society, including through physical activities and sport. The State should intervene to ensure proper qualifications for older persons so that they were competitive in the labour market. This should be a joint effort with social organizations and international forums. It would be key to change the balance of the relationships between younger and older generations nationally, but also to examine complementary measures to protect the rights of older persons. 55. Ms. Simbiri-Jaoko affirmed that many of the issues raised concerned the lack of normative frameworks at the international and regional levels, which had an impact at the national level. For national human rights institutions, the main contributions would be, within existing normative frameworks, to employ creative processes to monitor the rights of older persons, by making specific use of norms, whether soft or hard law. National human rights institutions should advocate for comprehensive and holistic approaches by State parties at the national, regional and international levels, in order to ensure that existing frameworks protected the rights of older persons. 56. Additionally, national human rights institutions with investigative and complaints handling capacity should develop tools that took into account the circumstances of older persons. They needed to go beyond looking at the appearances and instead look at the practicalities of how older persons experienced their independence, autonomy and freedom. National human rights institutions, together with State and non-State actors, should work towards facilitating intergenerational dialogue aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness by family members about their critical role in promoting and protecting the rights of older persons. Even in regions with a long history of care institutions, a human rights-based approach was missing. Older persons everywhere felt a lack of respect for their dignity. National human rights institutions had the challenge, and the opportunity, of working harder to strengthen and apply normative principles that clearly established the parameters for upholding the rights of older persons at the national, regional and international levels. 57. Ms. Kornfeld-Matte said that older persons as a group remained invisible and often voiceless. Radical changes, including to family patterns and lifestyles, but also the gradual erosion of the traditional multigenerational family environment, increasingly left older persons without families and without support. The mandate of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons took into account the difficulties that older persons faced, and the fact that those difficulties required in-depth analysis and action in the light of the protection gaps. The 13