- 108 -
into five sections which correlate closely to the rights recognized in the
Covenant. The section entitled "Independence" includes access to adequate
food, water, shelter, clothing and health care. To these basic rights are
added the opportunity for remunerated work and access to education and
training. Under "Participation", it is stated that older persons should
participate actively in the formulation and implementation of policies that
affect their well-being and share their knowledge and skills with younger
generations, and should be able to form movements and associations. The
section headed "Care" proclaims that older persons should benefit from family
care and health care and be able to enjoy human rights and fundamental
freedoms when residing in a shelter, care or treatment facility. With regard
to "Self-fulfilment", the Principles state that older persons should be able
to pursue opportunities for the full development of their potential through
access to the educational, cultural, spiritual and recreational resources of
their societies. Lastly, the section entitled "Dignity" states that older
persons should be able to live in dignity and security and be free of
exploitation and physical or mental abuse, should be treated fairly,
regardless of age, gender, racial or ethnic background, disability or other
status, and should be valued independently of their economic contribution.
6.
In 1992, the General Assembly adopted eight global targets on ageing for
the year 2001 and a brief guide for setting national targets. In a number of
important respects, these global targets serve to reinforce the obligations of
States parties to the Covenant. 4/
7.
Also in 1992, and in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the
adoption of the International Plan of Action on Ageing, the General Assembly
adopted the Proclamation on Ageing, in which it urged support of national
initiatives on ageing so that older women are given adequate support for their
largely unrecognized contributions to society and older men are encouraged to
develop social, cultural and emotional capacities which they may have been
prevented from developing during breadwinning years; so that families are
supported in providing care and all family members encouraged to cooperate in
caregiving; and so that international cooperation is expanded in the context
of the strategies for reaching the global targets on ageing for the year 2001.
It also proclaimed the year 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons in
recognition of humanity’s demographic "coming of age". 5/
8.
The United Nations specialized agencies, especially ILO, have also given
attention to the problem of ageing in their respective fields of competence.
3.
The rights of older persons in relation to the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
9.
The terminology used to describe older persons varies considerably, even
in international documents. It includes: "older persons", "the aged", "the
elderly", "the third age", "the ageing" and, to denote persons more than
80 years of age, "the fourth age". The Committee has opted for "older
persons" (in French, personnes âgées; in Spanish, personas mayores), the term
employed in General Assembly resolutions 47/5 and 48/98. According to the
practice in the United Nations statistical services, these terms cover persons
aged 60 and above. (The statistical service of the European Union, Eurostat,