A/HRC/45/14/Add.2
the community that violence and abuse against older persons are serious crimes and
will be treated as such.
96.
She also notes that the continued prevalence of abuse of older persons indicates
that normative action is not enough and that further measures and mechanisms are
required to detect, report and prevent all forms of abuse of older persons in all care
settings, including institutional and domestic settings. Protocols and processes are
needed to assist individuals, families, carers in institutional settings and community
groups to understand the issues surrounding abuse of older persons, to recognize
individuals who are at risk and to respond when appropriate. Caregivers in domestic
and institutional settings need to be further sensitized and trained on how to prevent
and detect violence against and abuse, maltreatment and neglect of older persons.
97.
The Independent Expert encourages the Government to adopt criteria and
guidelines for the provision of victim-oriented and culturally appropriate legal,
biopsychosocial cultural and economic assistance that recognize the special needs of
older women belonging to Māori and Pasifika and other communities, while ensuring
that culturally sensitive efforts uphold the universality of rights.
Education, training and lifelong learning
98.
The Independent Expert notes that there is a need for a holistic approach that
encompasses continuous learning, education and vocational training for older persons.
She recommends that the Government further its analysis of labour market needs in
order to align the education and vocational training of older persons with those
requirements. Training and retraining, educational and professional development
offers should also be available to older persons.
99.
Ensuring access to education and training in old age requires that the living
environment of older persons be taken into account in the planning and design of
educational offers. While targeted educational programmes are important, older
persons should not be excluded from broader educational programmes, as this would
be limiting and could also lead to creating spaces of social exclusion.
100. The Independent Expert stresses the need to ensure that educational offers are
inclusive of all older persons, taking into account digital and language barriers, and
that they reach both rural and urban municipalities, and ensure equality of access for
all communities.
Adequate standard of living
101. The Independent Expert notes that private rental housing is unaffordable for
older persons who rely on the Superannuation, which is based on the assumption of
mortgage-free home ownership for older persons. With the ongoing changes of tenure
patterns, the number of older persons facing material and economic hardship and
poverty will increase and many of them will live in rented housing. She encourages the
Government to start to reinvest in affordable housing to address the growing housing
needs of older persons, ensuring that affordable and adequate housing options are
available. She also points to the need to ensure that legislation regulating retirement
villages adopts an age-sensitive approach, enabling older persons to make informed
decisions as to whether or not to enter into contractual agreements.
102. She notes the need to provide housing choices and options to ensure that older
persons can age in the community. She encourages the Government to take this into
account in the development of the Kāinga Ora Accessibility Policy, which has
committed to ensuring that at least 15 per cent of new houses meet universal design
standards.
103. The Independent Expert stresses the need to adopt a human rights-based
approach to disaster recovery frameworks to ensure that the response, service,
support and information is adapted to the specific needs and conditions of older
persons. Adaptation measures require national legal frameworks to protect the rights
of older persons who are affected, drawing upon existing standards, guidelines and
best practices, such as the Operational Guidelines on the Protection of Persons in
Situations of Natural Disasters, the Peninsula Principles on Climate Displacement
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