A/HRC/42/43
discrimination and be denied access to services in the area of education and lifelong
learning; and recognize the need to take action to ensure the full enjoyment of their
rights and equal opportunities to participate fully in society, develop their full
potential and contribute to their communities.
• Bear in mind that technologies have the potential to transform the way support is
provided to older people, maintain or strengthen their capabilities, enable them to
live autonomous, independent and dignified lives, improve their emotional wellbeing and increase opportunities for education and lifelong learning and
participation in society on an equal basis with others.
• However, they also recognize that older persons are not always able to fully benefit
from technologies owing to, inter alia, unavailability, including as a result of
inequalities in access between and within countries and different population groups,
high costs, restrictive eligibility criteria, lack of integration within existing systems
of support, lack of accessibility, inadequate information about services and limited
awareness and skills necessary to benefit from technological solutions.
• Believe that the use of technologies, including in the field of education and lifelong
learning, must be geared towards enabling older persons to live autonomous and
independent lives, fulfil their aspirations, build their skills and capacities, develop
their full human potential and sense of dignity and self-worth and participate fully in
society, and must not deprive older persons of their liberty, exclude them from
decision-making, or stigmatize and objectify them.
• To foster the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons on an equal basis with
others, the participants:
Agree to forward the outcomes of this conference to the Open-ended Working Group
on Ageing to inform the discussions at its 10th session, which is expected to focus on
social protection, education and lifelong learning.
Stress that a human rights-based and participatory approach needs to be embedded in
the research, design and implementation of technologies paying due attention to older
persons at risk of exclusion or marginalization including those with high support needs,
on low incomes and with disabilities, among others.
Further stress that older persons must be involved in the design, provision and
monitoring of the use of technologies, including with regard to appropriateness in
relation to their needs and preferences, and give their prior and ongoing informed
consent for the introduction, use and withdrawal of technologies, including those that
prolong life, and be able to opt in or out of their use at any time.
Emphasize that the providers of technologies and related software, including social
media companies, must take responsibility for the privacy and protection of data and
for the safeguarding of older users against any misuse, abuse or harm, and that older
persons must have access to information about, and give their informed consent to,
how their personal data will be used.
Emphasize also that measures must be taken to ensure that all older persons have
access to, and are involved in the development of appropriate, acceptable and
affordable education and lifelong learning opportunities that fit their needs,
preferences, skills, motivations, and diverse identities, including but not limited to
training in new technologies, so they can develop their full human potential,
personality, creativity, talents and sense of dignity and self-worth.
Stress that steps must be taken to eliminate the barriers that older persons face in
accessing educational skills and capacity-building goods and services, and informal,
recreational and community-based education and lifelong learning programs.
Invite all stakeholders, including, inter alia, Member States, national human rights
institutions, United Nations agencies, international organizations, civil society, older
persons and experts, to strengthen the dialogue on the protection of the human rights
of older persons at regional and national level during the Open-ended Working Group
on Ageing intersessional period in order to share experiences, intensify collaboration
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