A/HRC/24/25 the arts and many other areas. Public policies regarding older age did not only require redistribution of wealth, but also the recognition of the identity and value of older persons in society. Ageism could only be combated when this recognition was explicit. 38. During the discussion, representatives of Uruguay and of the Holy See stressed that there was a need to adopt an international instrument. The Holy See also emphasized that the specific protection of older persons was a moral imperative since they had built society. Several civil society organizations were of the view that a new convention would need to include age discrimination, inclusive society and the idea of social responsibility towards older persons. Representatives of the Russian Federation and the United States of America described their efforts in the protection of older persons. The European Union observed that there was a lack of implementation of the European Union directive regarding older persons, and expressed the concern that defining older persons as a unified category might create new stereotypes. 39. Ms. Mahler noted the work within the Council of Europe regarding a soft law instrument on older persons, but underlined the need to develop a binding legal framework at the regional and international levels. Mr. Doron considered that the regional standard setting experiences were useful first steps that might pave the way for an international instrument. He pointed out that a specific convention did not imply any kind of stigmatization, and indeed that this has not been the case with other instruments regarding women, children or persons with disabilities. D. Older persons and the rights to work, health and social security 40. The panel discussion on older persons and the rights to work, health and social security was moderated by a Human Rights Officer with the Human Rights and Economic and Social Issues Section of OHCHR, and included interventions by Emmanuelle St. Pierre-Guibault, Work and Social Security Legal Specialist from the Social Security Department of the International Labour Organization (ILO); Islene Araujo de Carvalho, Senior Policy Adviser with the Department of Ageing and Life Course of the World Health Organization (WHO); and Abdessadek Atlas, representative of the civil society organization AIDE Fédération (Fédération des Agences Internationales pour le Développement. 41. Ms. St. Pierre-Guibault emphasised that ILO was committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of older persons in active life and beyond, and of their families. ILO was keenly aware of the new demographic context, which was characterized by declining mortality and fertility and by increased longevity. These posed new challenges for society and work in all parts of the world. The changing age structure of the population had potentially significant implications for economic development, labour markets and wellbeing in different development contexts. The issue would be the subject of the upcoming International Labour Conference in June 2013; ILO had therefore drafted a preparatory report in which it analysed those implications and policy alternatives for both industrialized and developing countries. 42. ILO had adopted a wide range of conventions and recommendations relevant to the context of demographic change and that could play an important role in achieving the public consensus needed to adopt and implement adequate national policy frameworks. 43. The Older Workers Recommendation, 1980 (No. 162) is the most specific and direct mechanism taking into account the consequences of ageing societies for the world of work and social protection. It is based on three main subjects: equality of opportunity and treatment; employment protection measures; and preparation for and access to retirement. The Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) does not 10