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Multi-stakeholder meeting on older people’s human rights

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is organising a multi-stakeholder meeting on 29-30 August 2022 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, room XVII. This hybrid meeting will take place both in person and online.

NGOs are encouraged to attend in person if possible. You do not need to have ECOSOC status to participate. You can register now via the Indico system here.

The multi-stakeholder meeting is a follow-up to the Human Rights Council (HRC) Resolution 48/3 (read more here) and will discuss the recent report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Further information and relevant documents are available here.

Objective:

This two-day meeting will bring together key stakeholders for a discussion on the gaps in the existing human rights protection system for older persons and the dispersiveness of international human rights law. The meeting will take stock of the progress made, assess the remaining challenges, identify opportunities and develop concrete proposals to accelerate efforts to close the gaps in the existing human rights protection system for older persons.
The report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the normative standards and obligations under international law in relation to the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons (A/HRC/49/70) will inform the discussion.

Outcome:
A summary report with conclusions of the meeting that includes recommendations on addressing possible gaps and the dispersiveness of international human rights law with regard to older persons, will be submitted to the Human Rights Council by its fifty-second session.

Mandate:
In its resolution 48/3, the Human Rights Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human to convene a multi- stakeholder meeting to discuss the report of the High Commissioner on the normative standards and obligations under international law in relation to the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons.

The meeting will be fully accessible to persons with disabilities, and held with the participation of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, human rights experts and expert representatives of Member States, the treaty bodies and the special procedures, regional mechanisms, the United Nations system, academia, national human rights institutions and civil society, including with the meaningful and effective participation of older persons and of persons of different ages.

The meeting will consist of an opening segment followed by a series of interactive panel discussions and a closing segment. Initial presentations by the panelists will be followed by two segments of interventions by participants and concluding remark from the panelists. A maximum of one hour will be set aside for the podium, which will cover the panelists’ presentations and their responses to questions and concluding remarks. The remaining hour will be reserved for two segments of interventions from the floor, with each segment consisting of interventions from States, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations. Speaking time for participants wishing to take the floor will be two minutes.

29 August Agenda

Opening session

Session 1: Gaps and challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the deficiencies in international and national frameworks for older persons in dramatic and tragic ways. While the pandemic seriously affected many groups, its consequences have been amplified by existing structures of inequality and disadvantage. This session will focus on identifying existing and emerging human rights protection gaps and particular risks facing older persons, as well as promising practices in responding to them.

Session 2: Adequacy of existing mechanisms in responding to the challenges

The aim of this session is to discuss current practices and identify recommendations on how the UN human rights mechanisms (Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures and Universal Periodic Review) can enhance the integration of the human rights of older persons in their work. As noted in the report of the High Commissioner (A/HRC/49/70), the engagement of the UN human rights mechanisms on the human rights of older persons is not adequate, systematic nor sustained. The session will also highlight lessons learned from the Inter-American system of human rights on the protection of older persons as well as the important role played by national human rights institutions.

30 August Agenda

Session 3: Strengthening coordinated actions for the protection of older persons
This session will identify opportunities for strengthening synergies and joint actions across global and regional networks and initiatives on ageing to integrate and promote the human rights of older persons.

Session 4: Towards strengthening the protection of human rights of older persons
The objective of this session is to develop proposals and recommendations for strengthening legal frameworks at both the national and the international levels to protect the human rights of older persons for further consideration by the Council and other relevant bodies, including the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing.

Closing session

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the co-chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@yahoo.com or bknotts@uua.org. 

 

Redefining Health: New Approaches for How We Live and Age

Please consider yourself officially invited to join “Redefining Health: New Approaches for How We Live and Age,” the AARP’s global conference on Wednesday, October 27th and Thursday 28th from 17:00- 20:00 GVA time (11:00-14:00 NY time).

This virtual conference will bring together a roster of premier leaders and experts to discuss proposed solutions and ideas aimed at shaping the future of health, longevity, and ageing.

Registrationhttps://landmarkventures.brandlive.com/AARPGlobalConference/en/registration

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. 

Decade of Healthy Ageing: A Social Responsibility

Dear Colleagues,

You are kindly invited  to the event Decade of Healthy Ageing: A Social Responsibility” that will take place Thursday, July 29th from 10:00am to 12:00pm (EDT) aiming to provide a space for experts to share their visions and experiences with different social actors interested in generating the conditions and transformations necessary for more people to achieve healthy aging, according to the Decade proposal.

This event is organized by the Diplomatic Academy of Chile (ACADE) and the National Service for the Older People (SENAMA) with the participation of Mrs. Zulma Sosa, Coordinator of Population and Development Area of the Latin American and Carribean Demographic Center (CELADE); Dr. Enrique Vega, Unit Chief for the Healthy Life Course of the Pan American Health Organization (OPS); Dr. Carmen Quintanilla, Senator of General Courts of Ciudad Real and Vice President of European Seniors’ Union; Mr. Octavio Vergara,National Director of SENAMA and Dr. Ángela Arenas, lawyer and Director of the Faculty of Law of the Finis Terrae University.

Among other issues, the panelists will address:

  • the evolution, priority areas and ways of implementing the Decade challenges related to the recognition and social leadership of older adults,
  • the fight against isolation, accentuated by COVID-19, the situation of older women living in rural areas, and national and international health strategies that protect older people from future epidemics.
  • actions and fundamental challenges to consolidate the treatment of this issue as one of the responsibilities of the entire society.

*The event will be conducted in Spanish and will have simultaneous interpretation to English and Portuguese*

Please register your attendance through this Link.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

The Critical Roles of Geriatric Nursing and a Focus on Health Education in Improving Future Care of Older People

IFA Global Cafe: In Conversation with Dr. Tara A. Cortes “The critical roles of geriatric nursing, and how professionals need to focus on education of health to improve the future care of older people”

The current COVID-19 pandemic calls out the need for significant changes in both the systems and delivery of health and social care. In both traditional and nontraditional settings, models that bring together advanced practice nurses and physicians creates real opportunity for change in the policy and practice in geriatric care.

Better healthcare, better outcomes and lower cost can best be achieved by allowing all professionals to function to their full scope of practice. It is critical to bring the voice of nursing to a different forum to allow leaders to disseminate messages, increase collaboration, and further enhance discipline.

This Global Cafe takes place at 07:00 am (Eastern Standard Time) on Friday 2 April 2021 (additional time zones below):

Geneva, Switzerland: 12:00
Lagos, Nigeria: 12:00
New Delhi, India: 16:30
Perth, Australia: 19:00

Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvceigpzstH9HAnOu8Y-1X4ipHXWRjgXI3

This Global Cafe will be recorded and streamed live on Facebook. Should you be unable to participate, a recording will be available on the IFA Facebook page at facebook.com/intfedageing and resources will be available at: ifa.ngo/ifa-virtual-town-hall-resources.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. 

Call for a UN Resolution on Persons Living with a Rare Disease and their Families

The global rare disease community is calling for a UN Resolution Addressing the Needs of Persons and Families Living with a Rare Disease (PLWRD).

Over 300 million people worldwide live with one of over 6,000 identified rare diseases. Rare diseases are often chronic, complex, disabling and life threatening. Persons and families living with a rare disease confront a lack of public awareness as well as a paucity of expertise and knowledge of rare diseases, exposing them to greater social, health and economic vulnerability.

To ensure the well-being of persons living with a rare disease, RDI in partnership with EURORDIS and the NGO Committee for Rare Diseases, is a calling a UN Resolution that recognizes the complex needs of persons living with a rare diseases and promotes the human rights and full participation in society of all people.

Register here!

Preliminary Agenda:

  • Welcome from Rare Diseases International
  • Official Rare Disease Day 2021 Video
  • Opening Remarks from the NGO Committee for Rare Diseases
  • Call for a UNGA Resolution on Rare Diseases
  • Testimonies from Person’s Living with a Rare Disease around the world
  • Video – Rare Diseases at the United Nations
  • Panel Discussion: “Why a UN Resolution and Why Now”
  • Message from International Rare Disease Champion
  • UN Member States Support
  • Key take home message and next steps

Key Asks for the UN Resolution on Rare Diseases would include:

1. Inclusion and participation of PLWRD & their families in society and respect of their human rights

2. Improvement of health and social outcomes with the appropriate care and support within existing resources

3. Promotion of national strategies and actions

4. Introduction of rare diseases into UN agencies and programmes

5. Regular reports by the UN Secretariat to monitor the progress on the implementation.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee for Rare Diseases, please visit ngocommitteerarediseases.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org.

[UN observance] World Diabetes Day

The United Nations marks World Diabetes Day annually on November 14. To learn more about how diabetes affects the world and how to participate in this year’s events, please visit un.org/en/events/diabetesday.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights, please email the chair at marjones@rr.nyc.com.