A/HRC/45/14 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted to the Human Rights Council pursuant to resolution 42/12 on the human rights of older persons. In the report, the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons examines the significance of data for the realization of the human rights of older persons, as a prerequisite for evidence-based and informed decision-making and normative action. In particular, the Independent Expert analyses the current data gap on older persons, its causes, and its impact on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, as well as the prospects and risks associated with the data revolution in this context.1 The report also contains an overview of the activities of the Independent Expert and her predecessor during the reporting period. 2. The Independent Expert, Claudia Mahler, assumed her mandate on 1 May 2020. She expresses her deep gratitude to her predecessor, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, for the path-breaking work that she undertook and for her contribution and substantive analysis towards the present report. II. Activities of the Independent Experts 3. During the reporting period, the former Independent Expert, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, visited China from 25 November to 3 December 2019 (see A/HRC/45/14/Add.1) and New Zealand from 2 to 12 March 2020 (see A/HRC/45/14/Add.2). Ms. Kornfeld-Matte expressed her appreciation to the Governments of those countries for their cooperation before, during and after her visits, and for the fruitful and constructive dialogue. 4. On the margins of the forty-second session of the Human Rights Council, on 13 September 2019, the Independent Expert convened a participatory panel discussion with representatives from States, international organizations, United Nations agencies and civil society, entitled “Context gaps and the human rights imperative for older persons in and beyond humanitarian emergencies”. The event was organized together with representatives of Argentina, Chile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and HelpAge, and with the support of the Group of Friends on the Human Rights of Older Persons. 2 It enabled an in-depth dialogue on the findings of the Independent Expert’s report on the human rights of older persons in emergency situations (A/HRC/42/43), during which the Independent Expert stressed the imperative need for a human rights-based approach to ageing. She noted that this entailed active measures against ageism, and reconceptualizing the way in which societies viewed older persons. It was essential to portray older persons as active contributors to society rather than as passive receivers of care and assistance or an impending burden on welfare systems. Participants also exchanged views on the achievements made since the mandate was established in 2013, as well as on common challenges. In this context, the Independent Expert reaffirmed the importance of preserving the cross-regional commitment towards overcoming remaining divergences of view on how to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older persons. 5. On 24 September 2019, the Independent Expert, together with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and HelpAge, held a panel discussion on 1 2 See www.undatarevolution.org/data-revolution/#nav-mobile. The need for a “data revolution” was first expressed by the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, appointed by the then Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, to advise on the global development agenda after the Millennium Development Goals. The report of the high-level panel was quite brief, leaving quite a lot of room for interpretation: “Better data and statistics will help governments track progress and make sure their decisions are evidence-based; they can also strengthen accountability. This is not just about governments. International agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector should be involved.” Moreover, “a true data revolution would draw on existing and new sources of data to fully integrate statistics into decision-making, promote open access to, and use of, data, and ensure increased support for statistical systems.” A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development: The Report of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, p. 23 ff. Widely known informally as GoF-HROP. 3