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Right to health in conflict situations 2013, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- States should give particular attention to persons rendered vulnerable by conflict, such as women, children, older persons, people with disabilities and displaced communities. This requires States to address marginalization arising from social, political and economic exclusion; discrimination against persons belonging to or perceived to belong to a specific community; vulnerability due to ill-health; and conflict strategies that deliberately render certain communities vulnerable. These factors, individually or in combination, may expose certain groups to multiple vulnerabilities and an increased risk of violation of their right to health. Recognizing the diverse vulnerabilities in different communities and empowering them to participate in all decision-making processes that affect their health enable States to fulfil their obligation under the right to health during conflict and also promotes a sustainable recovery from conflict.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Right to health in conflict situations 2013, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- The health needs of certain groups are often overlooked in conflict due to limited or suspended services. Older persons are more at risk in conflict due to poor mobility and are less able to travel to health facilities. They may be unable to carry heavy packages of food or containers of water, and often live without family support, which renders them vulnerable to higher levels of malnutrition and disease. Similarly, persons with disabilities, often abandoned by families fleeing conflict, may face greater health and safety risks. Many facilities are unable to provide children with disabilities with the treatment and care suited to their physical developmental needs, hampering their ability to enjoy their right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Older persons
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- In its general comment No. 14 (2000) on the right to the highest attainable standard of health, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognized the importance of an integrated approach to the health of older persons, including preventive, curative and rehabilitative health treatment. Promotion of participation in sport and physical activity is among the most cost-effective interventions that States can undertake in order to prevent morbidity and mortality among older persons and to ensure that they achieve the highest possible standards of physical and mental health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Physically active older people have lower rates of all-cause mortality than their sedentary counterparts, and experience many health benefits, including healthier body mass and improved bone health, and lowered risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. Moreover, regular exercise plays an important role in preventing depression and cognitive decline.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- In addition to the above-mentioned biomedical benefits, participation in organized sport may have significant benefits for older adults as regards increased social interaction and connectedness. Moreover, sport can be used as a tool to promote "active ageing" - elderly people being active and engaged in society - to combat negative and inaccurate images of the elderly that portray ageing as an inevitable and irreversible decline in function.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Sports and healthy lifestyles as contributing factors to the right to health 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- States should respect the right to health of elderly people by refraining from discriminating in the form of denying access to conditions enabling them to live healthy lifestyles, which includes their access to sporting goods and facilities. States should also protect the right to health of the elderly by creating complaint and recourse mechanisms for those whose rights have been violated and by sensitizing third parties to the needs and abilities of the elderly in the sporting context. Finally, States should fulfil the right to health of the elderly by facilitating or providing goods, services, facilities and information, in the area of sport and exercise, that are available, acceptable, accessible and of high quality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- The world population is ageing at a steady and significant pace. The total number of persons aged 60 years and above increased from 200 million in 1950 to 760 million in 2010, and it is anticipated to become over one billion by the end of the current decade. By 2050, it is expected that one in five persons will be over the age of 60. The senior population is the fastest growing one and this is becoming a global phenomenon.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- Although the growth of the older population is affecting the whole world, most of the increase is taking place in the developing world. More than half of the elderly (400 million) live in Asia, while Europe is the region with the second-largest number of older persons (nearly 161 million), followed by North America (65 million), Latin America and the Caribbean (59 million), Africa (55 million) and Oceania (5 million). On average, it is estimated that 29 million older persons will be added to the world's population each year between 2010 and 2025, and over 80 per cent of those will be added in the developing countries. By 2050, it is further projected that around 80 per cent of the elderly will live in the developing world.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur considers these compelling figures a harbinger of a quiet demographic revolution. It owes much to the significant gains achieved in many areas which have substantially increased longevity but will have far-reaching and unpredictable consequences for all countries, developed and developing alike. A rapidly ageing population presents significant challenges for the global community, in a world that is already affected by various social, economic, cultural and political challenges. The immediate consequences of longer life expectancy include increases in the prevalence of chronic and non-communicable diseases and disabilities, which, if unaddressed, could place significant burdens on health systems, strain pension and social security systems, increase demand for primary health care and put pressure on the availability and affordability of long-term care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Developing countries will be predominantly affected by the resulting epidemiological transition, when non-communicable diseases amongst older persons increase. The broader population will however continue to struggle with communicable diseases, particularly infectious diseases and other illnesses related to poverty. Developing age-friendly services and settings, and promotion of health care and preventive medicine among older persons will strengthen the efforts of developing countries to deal with the complications of chronic and terminal non-communicable illnesses. In order to address the challenge adequately, it is essential for States to prepare themselves to meet the needs of older persons, train health professionals in old-age care, and formulate sustainable policies for long-term care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- However, the ageing world's most important challenge is to ensure the enjoyment of human rights of older persons. It is critical that measures be put in place to eradicate discrimination and exclusion of older persons and to ensure access to services according to their needs. In a statement marking the International Day of Older Persons, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, pointed to the urgent need for better legal protection of older persons, a growing sector of society that is often most vulnerable and neglected, and she emphasized that "the human rights community has been slow in realizing that the global agenda and the advocacy efforts at the national level can no longer ignore the rights of older persons".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that the right-to-health approach is indispensable for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health-related policies and programmes to mitigate consequences of an ageing society and to ensure the enjoyment of this human right by older persons. Such an approach to health-related issues includes human dignity, the needs and rights of this vulnerable group, and puts emphasis on ensuring that health systems are accessible, available and affordable to all. Integrating human rights into health systems also means ensuring the principles of equality and freedom from discrimination and the empowerment of all, including the poor, allowing for their participation in decision-making processes and incorporating accountability mechanisms which they can access.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that the promotion and protection of human rights of older persons is not only in the interest of senior persons, but should also be of concern to everyone, because every person ages. The right to health will not provide a magic solution to these multifaceted challenges, but it will allow shifting the discourse on older persons from a needs-based approach to a rights-based one, and enable greater articulation of the rights of older persons. Health is a fundamental human right, indispensable for the exercise of many other rights. It is necessary for living a life in dignity. This is especially true for older persons, who are often perceived as a "lapsed" segment of society and are particularly vulnerable to infringements of their right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur concedes that in order to be fully successful the right-to-health approach to older persons should be accompanied by a paradigm shift with respect to how society perceives ageing and older persons. The World Health Organization defines ageing as the "process of progressive change in the biological, psychological and social structure of individuals". Throughout the course of one's life, the human body's functional capacity declines from early adulthood to old age. However, increases in longevity also mean that older persons may stay active for a longer part of their lives than ever before, both in terms of occupational and non-occupational activities. Encouraging older persons to remain physically, socially and economically active for as long as possible will have benefits not only for the individual, but for society as a whole.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that the dominant view, which considers ageing a biomedical problem, leads to the unfortunate perception of ageing as an abnormal or pathological phenomenon because it equates advanced age with illness. This position is not only inconsistent with the holistic approach to human health, but it also perpetuates a perception of older persons as dependent and sick. When considering the health of older persons, the Special Rapporteur is of the view that there must be a paradigm shift away from the perception of older persons as a "social burden" to one that emphasizes the process of "active ageing" and that will reorient our ideas about ageing to focus on the continuing contribution of older persons to society. According to WHO, active ageing aims to optimize opportunities for health, participation and security amongst older persons in order to enhance their quality of life. The word active therefore refers to continuing participation in social, economic, cultural and civic affairs, and not simply the ability to be physically active or to participate in the labour force.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Ageing should be perceived as the culmination of a lifetime of influences and choices. Healthy and active ageing occurs through health promotion and consistent delivery of primary health care throughout one's life. The enjoyment of the right to health is not age-dependent and does not cease once a person reaches a certain age. Older persons should be viewed as rights-holders, who will often require support in order to claim their rights. This requires States to take particular steps as part of the development and implementation of comprehensive health plans that must include various strategies to ensure that older persons have access to good quality health care, goods and services. In addition to this, economic accessibility to ensure affordability is also required by the right to health, which requires that States take steps to ensure that adequate social protection is provided to older persons. The ageing of world population demands that immediate steps be taken to ensure that the costs of pension schemes and their analogues not be prohibitively burdensome for States. Failure to recognize older persons as rights-holders may lead to prejudice and discrimination directed against individuals or groups and may have profound consequences for their health outcomes and welfare.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Treating older persons as a homogenous group is incorrect and needs to be rectified. In developing a more comprehensive approach to the enjoyment of the right to health of older persons, it is important to both collect and analyse disaggregated data and develop appropriate strategies for diverse groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- When appropriate, clinical trials should be conducted with the participation of older persons in order to determine the effect of these medications on that population group, due to the frequency with which older persons may use these medications. Given the substantial underrepresentation of older patients in studies on various diseases, clinical trial recruitment should be diversified to include a number of considerations including age, gender and race.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- Differences between the genders in respect of the ageing process must also be acknowledged, given that global life expectancy at birth for women is currently 70 years, and is significantly higher than for men at 66 years. Given differing life expectancies, it is more often men who are able to rely on informal care from their spouses than women. Women who outlive their husbands are more often left with no spousal support, relying on informal care by other relatives or the formal care system. Compounding this problem is the fact that older women are frequently excluded from social security and health insurance schemes that are linked to formal, paid employment. They are also at much greater risk of poverty than men. In many countries older women are less likely than men to hold valuable assets in their own name (A/HRC/14/31, paras. 19-21). These factors limit women's ability to provide for their own health-related needs in later life. Furthermore, lack of access to health care services for debilitating diseases such as cancer and hypertension, or illnesses disproportionately affecting women such as osteoporosis, have also been noted to prevent older women from enjoying their full human rights (CEDAW/C/GC/27).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Poverty
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that States should allocate more resources for the provision of geriatric healthcare in order to ensure that all healthcare workers, irrespective of specialty or profession, are adequately trained to deal with the particular health issues associated with ageing. They should also be trained on the right to health so that they interact with elderly patients in an appropriate, considerate and non-discriminatory manner.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Internationally recognized human rights standards and principles as contained in core international human rights treaties cover and protect older persons. Despite this tacit protection, it has increasingly been argued that there is a gap in the international human rights system because there is currently no specific universal human rights instrument on the rights of older persons. Specific provisions focusing on older persons, such as those which exist for some other categories of vulnerable persons such as women, children, persons with disabilities, and migrant workers, are also lacking.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- Nonetheless, different human rights treaty monitoring bodies have interpreted and applied existing norms to older persons as a group, recognizing their vulnerability to discrimination and exclusion. In 1995, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) adopted general comment No. 6, which offers a detailed interpretation of the specific obligations of State parties regarding each of the rights contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as they apply to older persons. In 2010, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women adopted general recommendation No. 27 on older women and the protection of their human rights. General comment No. 14 of CESCR elaborates on substantive issues arising from the implementation of the right to health and addresses particular issues related to older persons, including "preventive, curative and rehabilitative health treatment…maintaining the functionality and autonomy of older persons … [and] attention and care for chronically and terminally ill persons, sparing them avoidable pain and enabling them to die with dignity".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- In addition, there are non-binding United Nations instruments and international documents on ageing and older persons, such as the 1982 Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing, the 1991 United Nations Principles for Older Persons, the 1992 Global targets on ageing for the year, and the 1992 Proclamation on Ageing. The most recent of these is the Political Declaration and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing adopted at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in April 2002, and endorsed by the General Assembly in resolution 57/167 of 18 December 2002. The Political Declaration reaffirms the global commitment to promote and protect human rights and to eliminate age-discrimination, neglect, abuse and violence (art. 5). It further makes reference to the right to health (art. 14), the opportunity to work and the continuing access to education and training programmes (art. 12). It has guided the development of legislation and policies at the national level and provided a framework for international cooperation, which resulted in, among other things, the establishment of the Open-Ended Working Group on the Human Rights of Older Persons in 2010, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 65/182.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- General comment No.14 describes legal obligations of States. The three primary obligations are to respect, protect and fulfil the right to health. The obligation to respect refers to the States' duty to refrain from interfering directly or indirectly with the right to health. In many cases, older persons are the object of State policies which may infringe upon their right to health. Examples include restrictions on the autonomy of older persons in terms of definitions of capacity without an individual determination. The obligation to protect deals with States' duty to prevent third parties, such as corporations, from interfering directly or indirectly with the right to health. This may be relevant, for example, where there is systematic abuse of the elderly in private long-term care facilities. Finally, the obligation to fulfil requires States to adopt appropriate legislative, administrative, budgetary, judicial, promotional and other measures to fully realize the right to health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- According to general comment No. 14, the right to health contains both freedoms and entitlements. The freedoms include the right to make independent decisions about one's health, which is to say freedom from State interference. For older persons, freedoms regard issues such as informed consent, autonomy and guardianship. Entitlements, which concern positive obligations of the State may, for example, include the provision of primary health care and social protection which recognizes and takes into account age-related elements, States should recognize that ageing is a lifelong process; State policy and legislation should reflect this reality. Investment in health services should be made at various stages of the life course, when risks to well-being and windows of opportunity are greatest.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- Under the right-to-health framework, health facilities, goods and services should be made available, accessible, affordable, acceptable and be of good quality for older persons. Availability refers to the fact that functioning public health and health-care facilities, goods and services, as well as programmes, have to be available in sufficient quantity. In many cases, older persons are affected by selective unavailability because of rationing of medical care, i.e. allocation and prioritization of health resources, which often results in de-prioritizing older persons for health treatment. Accessibility includes physical, financial and information components. Older persons may be unable to access health care because of the location of services or their limited physical mobility. Poverty may also exacerbate older persons' inability to access healthcare, particularly where social security does not exist. Finally, information accessibility refers to the right to seek, receive and impart information regarding health issues. With regard to older persons, it means that health-related information should be tailored to suit their needs and communicated to them in an appropriate, comprehensible manner allowing them to make fully informed decisions about their health condition and treatment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- States should take measures to ensure that older persons receive age-friendly health care of a quality commensurate with that of other age groups. Examples of improved quality goods, services and facilities for older people would include greater numbers of geriatricians and improved training in geriatrics across all specialties to ensure that needs of older persons are recognised and attended to. There is also a need for improved communication across specialties, including allied health professions such as dentists, pharmacists etc in order to adequately address the treatment needs of older persons with multiple chronic illnesses.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- General comment No. 14 notes that the right to health should be understood in broader terms, which include the underlying determinants of health, such as access to water and sanitation, food and nutrition, education and housing. An example of this would be the sub-optimal nutrition of older persons, which is commonly linked to circumstances under which older persons are isolated, immobile and live in poverty. Education is another relevant determinant for the health of older persons. A recent study in the United States of America showed that older persons with limited literacy had a higher risk of death, compared to those with adequate literacy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- International human rights law proscribes discrimination and ensures equality on a number of grounds and for a variety of groups, including older persons. Older persons are further identified by general comment No. 14 as a group especially vulnerable to violations. Treaty bodies, including CESCR, have identified older persons as a vulnerable or marginalized group, one that is potentially more susceptible to discrimination and violence. According to general comment No. 14, it is important to ensure the functionality and autonomy of older persons (E/C.12/2000/4, para. 25). This implies promotion of individual choice with respect to models of care, insofar as this is possible.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Older persons
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The realization of the right to health of older persons 2011, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- Older women are often more disadvantaged because they may suffer from a combination of both gender and age discrimination. Ageing women make up a significant proportion of the world's population, with the majority of older women living in developing countries. A number of life-course events adversely affect the health of women in older age, including discrimination against infant girls in the provision of food and care, barriers to education, low incomes and poorer access to decent work, care-giving responsibilities as mothers and wives, domestic violence (during childhood, adulthood and elder abuse), widowhood, and cultural traditions and attitudes towards health care. Lower incomes, disruptions to work due to family responsibilities, and discrimination in access to the labour force during women's working life mean that women often have less retirement savings and are therefore more financially vulnerable in older age.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Older persons
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph