A/HRC/45/14 the Economic Commission for Europe Recommendations on Ageing-related Statistics and the WHO global strategy and action plan on ageing and health for 2016–2020, as well as the requirements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For the Titchfield Group to contribute towards meaningful data on the enjoyment by older persons of their human rights, it will also need to embrace the human rights framework and the related obligations towards improving statistical measurement, and to influence policymaking, in order to ensure a human rights-based approach.31 54. The Active Ageing Index is another initiative that is aimed at capturing the potential of older persons and has been used to inform the implementation of the priorities at the national level in the context of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. This has resulted in greater comparability of data across Europe. Another concrete attempt to provide data for evidence-based policies on older persons is the Global AgeWatch Index, which measures the quality of life of older persons around the world. While both indices are valuable tools that use existing data to assess progress and provide insights into how countries can improve their performance on selected indicators, a comprehensive human rights-based index that is based on the structure-process-outcome framework developed by OHCHR and that covers the whole range of human rights remains essential to measure effectively the implementation of the human rights of older persons. 32 55. The COVID-19 pandemic has further revealed the invisibility of older persons in public data analysis, as recognized by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in his Policy Brief on the Impact of COVID-19 on Older Persons, issued in May 2020. In the context of the pandemic, the Statistics Division is stepping up its support on standardized data-collection advice. UNFPA, the Economic Commission for Africa and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data decided to provide data support to African countries in regard to COVID-19.33 E. Data gap impact 1. Ageism and age discrimination 56. Ageism is a key societal concern at the global level. The term was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler, who also identified the concept, to describe stereotyping and/or discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age. Tackling ageism requires targeted evidence-based measures: ageism, or old age stereotypes, negative attitudes and prejudices against older persons, are not currently considered in data sets. 57. A distinct characteristic of ageism is its pervasive nature and social acceptance. Although there is increasing consciousness about how ageism drives human rights violations in old age, it ranks low among the priorities in terms of data collection. It is essential to develop the tools required to collect information on perceptions and attitudes towards older persons and ageing. 34 Data on awareness of rights and the possibilities for redress is also needed. 58. Moreover, capturing age discrimination involves an element of subjectivity and an aspect of comparison. When it comes to older persons, the reference point is unclear. In addition to subjective evaluations of experiences of discrimination, data needs to be gathered around existing age limitations that restrict access to certain services and benefits. Surveys, for example to detect barriers in accessing care, need to uncover whether the differential treatment of older persons as compared to other groups with the same needs results in different outcomes. There are important discrepancies, for instance between 31 32 33 34 See E/CN.3/2018/19. OHCHR, “A human rights-based approach to data: leaving no one behind in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. United Nations Population Fund, “Implications of COVID-19 for older persons: responding to the pandemic”, technical brief, April 2020, p. 14. See E/CN.5/2013/6; and Michael Murphy, “Ageing in sub-Saharan Africa in the context of global development: the Multiple Indicator Survey project”, 2018. 13