A/HRC/24/25 I. Introduction 1. The Human Rights Council, in its resolution 21/23, requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to organize, in Geneva, an intersessional public consultation on the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons, with the participation of States Members of the United Nations, relevant international organizations, United Nations agencies and stakeholders, in order to receive information and share good practices on the matter, and to present a summary report of the consultation to the Council at its twenty-fourth session. The present report is submitted pursuant to that request. 2. On 8 January 2012, OHCHR addressed a note verbale to Member States and observers, and invited submissions from United Nations agencies and other international organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, academic institutions and other relevant stakeholders. In their submissions, the recipients were to indicate the main challenges encountered in the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons at the country level, as well as any explicit prohibition of discrimination on the basis of age in constitutions or legislation. They were also to address other issues, including the existence of specific bodies with a mandate to protect against age discrimination or to protect and promote the rights of older persons, and the adoption of specific national legislation, national policies, strategies and plans of action to ensure the equal enjoyment of rights by older persons. Areas of interest in this regard included prevention of and protection against violence and abuse, social protection, food and housing, employment, legal capacity, access to justice, health support, long-term and palliative care. II. Written submissions 3. OHCHR received written submissions from Member States and observers, including Albania, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, France, Gabon, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, the Holy See, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mauritius, Mexico, Peru, Qatar, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of). 4. Inputs were also submitted by the national human rights institutions of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Colombia, Germany, Great Britain (England and Wales), Malaysia, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Serbia and Uganda. OHCHR also received inputs from two regional organizations: the Council of Europe and the European Union. 5. Contributions were also made by the following civil society organizations, academic institutions and individuals: AGE Platform Europe, Age UK, the Centre for Cardiovascular and Chronic Care, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney and the International Council on Women’s Health Issues (Australia), Coordinación de Organismos Regionales de la Sociedad Civil de América Latina y el Caribe sobre Envejecimiento, the Correctional Association of New York (United States of America), Dane Age (Denmark), 50+ Hellas (Greece), Foundation Compassion Alzheimer (Bulgaria), the Foundation for Older Persons’ Development (Thailand), the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (Ireland), HelpAge Ghana and National Pensioners Association (Ghana), HelpAge International, Magu Poverty Focus on Older People Rehabilitation Centre and Tanzania Mission for The Poor and Disabled (United Republic of Tanzania), the Legal Aid Bureau (United States of 3