A/HRC/33/44 124. The former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in her 2012 report on the human rights situation of older persons, concluded that existing arrangements to protect the human rights of older persons were inadequate and that dedicated measures to strengthen the international protection regime were required, such as a new dedicated international instrument and/or a new special procedure mandate (see E/2012/51, para. 66). 125. Similarly, the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing concluded at its sixth session, held in 2015, that the existing mechanisms designed to guarantee the full exercise of the civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights of older persons have flaws (see A/AC.278/2015/2, p. 8). A variety of proposals have been made with regard to new instruments and measures, in accordance with the Working Group’s mandate, including a dedicated convention or an optional protocol to an existing convention. As the present report and its findings will be brought to the attention of the Working Group, in accordance with Council resolution 24/20, the Independent Expert calls on States to step up their efforts to determine the best way to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older persons and to consider the various proposals that have been made, notably the elaboration of a convention on the rights of older persons. It is also hoped that the Working Group will in due course present to the General Assembly a proposal containing, inter alia, the main elements that should be included in an international legal instrument to promote and protect the rights and dignity of older persons, which are not currently addressed sufficiently by existing mechanisms and therefore require further international protection, as requested by the General Assembly in its resolution 67/139 of 20 December 2012. 7 Considering that there is unanimity about the need to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older persons, existing divergences must urgently be overcome, given the millions of older persons waiting for their human rights to become a reality. 126. The creation of the mandate of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons by the Human Rights Council in 2013 constituted a paradigm shift from a predominant economic and development perspective to ageing to the imperative of a human rights-based approach 8 that views older persons as subjects of law, rather than simply beneficiaries, with specific rights, the enjoyment of which has to be guaranteed by States. It has also kick-started a Geneva-based process that has received new impetus through the recent launching of the Group of Friends on the human rights of older persons. It is hoped that this will contribute to further deepening the discussions at the level of the Human Rights Council and to ensure that this human rights forum remains seized of this important matter and actively engaged in shaping tomorrow’s society. 7 8 GE.16-11742 Adopted by a recorded vote of 54 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Israel, Seychelles, South Sudan, United States of America), with 118 abstentions. See the statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination in New York in October, 2011, entitled “The Tunis imperative: human rights in development cooperation in the wake of the Arab Spring”, available at https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/system/files/legacy_files/The%20Tunis%20Imperative%20 Pillay.pdf. 21