CEDAW/C/GC/27 (2004) of the Committee, to ensure that older women participate fully and effectively in the political, social, economic, cultural and civil life, and any other field in their societies. 30. States parties have an obligation to ensure the full development and advancement of women throughout their life cycle in times of both peace and conflict, as well as in the event of any man-made and/or natural disaster. States parties should therefore ensure that all legal provisions, policies and interventions aimed at the full development and advancement of women do not discriminate against older women. 31. States parties’ obligations should take into account the multidimensional nature of discrimination against women and ensure that the principle of gender equality applies throughout women’s life cycle, in legislation and in the practical implementation thereof. In this regard, States parties are urged to repeal or amend existing laws, regulations and customs that discriminate against older women, and ensure that legislation proscribes discrimination on the grounds of age and sex. 32. In order to support legal reform and policy formulation, States parties are urged to collect, analyse and disseminate data disaggregated by age and sex, so as to have information on the situation of older women, including those living in rural areas, areas of conflict, belonging to minority groups, and with disabilities. Such data should especially focus, among other issues, on poverty, illiteracy, violence, unpaid work, including caregiving to those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, migration, access to health care, housing, social and economic benefits and employment. 33. States parties should provide older women with information on their rights and how to access legal services. They should train the police, judiciary as well as legal aid and paralegal services on the rights of older women, and sensitize and train public authorities and institutions on age- and gender-related issues that affect older women. Information, legal services, effective remedies and reparation must be made equally available and accessible to older women with disabilities. 34. States parties should enable older women to seek redress for and resolve infringements of their rights, including the right to administer property, and ensure that older women are not deprived of their legal capacity on arbitrary or discriminatory grounds. 35. States parties should ensure that climate change and disaster risk-reduction measures are gender-responsive and sensitive to the needs and vulnerabilities of older women. States parties should also facilitate the participation of older women in decision-making for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Stereotypes 36. States parties have an obligation to eliminate negative stereotyping and modify social and cultural patterns of conduct that are prejudicial and harmful to older women, so as to reduce the physical, sexual, psychological, verbal and economic abuse that older women, including those with disabilities, experience based on negative stereotyping and cultural practices. Violence 37. States parties have an obligation to draft legislation recognizing and prohibiting violence, including domestic, sexual violence and violence in institutional settings, against older women, including those with disabilities. States parties have an obligation to investigate, prosecute and punish all acts of violence against older women, including those committed as a result of traditional practices and beliefs. 6

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