Plan International - Girls' Rights Platform - Girls' rights are human rights: Positioning girls at the heart of the international agenda

Although women at all economic levels, in high-, middle- and low-income countries, suffer from discrimination, they have primary responsibility for the provision of care and are victims of violence. Women are not a homogenous group, and their experience varies greatly between regions, countries, socioeconomic classes within countries and their identities as members of minorities, migrants, girl children, older women, or on account of single parenthood, disabilities or sexual identity, among others.

Need for care continues for toddlers and older children after the period of parental leave and also exists for the elderly and disabled. Responsibility for this needs to be redistributed through care services. At present, international minimum state obligations for provision of childcare services or for elderly and disabled services are lacking.

In addition, problems associated with ageing affect women disproportionally as a result of the cumulative effect of discriminatory practices women face over the course of their lives, as the Working Group described in its report on discrimination against women in economic and social life (A/HRC/26/39). Women are more likely to take care of men and to be left without spousal support. At the same time, they are more likely to suffer economic disadvantages, exacerbated by discriminatory pension systems that fail to produce equal outcomes for women, and to be excluded from social security and health insurance schemes. They are thus at greater risk of living in poverty. The mere recognition of equal rights for all, without distinction, is thus insufficient to ensure in practice the enjoyment by older women of all human rights, including the right to health.

Women have a longer life expectancy and are particularly exposed to neglect and abuse in older age, including in health-care settings, and higher risks of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. A gender- and age-sensitive approach needs to take into account the specific needs for care and protection of older women, including those widowed, living alone or displaced, those with dementia or other disability, those in need of palliative and geriatric care and those in emergency situations; these women are most at risk of multiple forms of discrimination, violence and poverty.

[The Working Group recommends that States:] Adopt a holistic approach towards women's health and safety by looking at their full life cycle from childhood to old age as interconnected phases with distinct considerations and needs, and in this regard: Provide adequate nutrition and free services for pregnant and lactating women, as required by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women;

[The Working Group recommends that States:] Adopt a holistic approach towards women's health and safety by looking at their full life cycle from childhood to old age as interconnected phases with distinct considerations and needs, and in this regard: Ensure that laws, policies and practices mandate respect for women's autonomy in their decision-making, especially regarding pregnancy, birthing and postnatal care;

[The Working Group recommends that States:] Adopt a holistic approach towards women's health and safety by looking at their full life cycle from childhood to old age as interconnected phases with distinct considerations and needs, and in this regard: Provide gender- and age-sensitive health-care services for older women, taking cognizance of their heightened health and safety vulnerability;

[The Working Group recommends that States:] States should recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work for children and other disabled or elderly dependents, by including unpaid care work in gross national product; allowing deduction of care expenses for tax purposes; improving the environmental and service infrastructure to reduce private care burdens; and synchronizing school time with working time;

[The Working Group recommends that States:] Ensure that women are not forced into early retirement; that women who have been economically active have access to adequate occupational pensions, including by introducing gender-specific compensatory measures such as accumulation of pension rights during maternity and childcare absences; unisex calculation of benefits; equalizing of mandatory retirement age and mandatory joint annuities.

[The Working Group recommends that States:] Provide adequate non-contributory pensions, on an equal basis with men, as a core social and economic right;

Stressing the particular impact that armed conflict has on women and children, including as refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as on other civilians who may have specific vulnerabilities including persons with disabilities and older persons, and stressing the protection and assistance needs of all affected civilian populations,

Recalling further its resolution 53/109 of 9 December 1998 and previous resolutions on ageing and the International Year of Older Persons,

4. Recognizes the challenges related to the enjoyment of all human rights that older persons face in areas such as prevention of and protection against violence and abuse, social protection, food and nutrition, housing, employment, legal capacity, access to justice, health services, including physical and mental health support, and long-term and palliative care services, and that those challenges require in-depth analysis and action to better address them;

6. Encourages all States to raise awareness of the challenges facing the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, and to ensure that older persons receive information about those rights;

9. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to organize, in Geneva, an intersessional public consultation on the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons, with the participation of States Members of the United Nations, relevant international organizations, United Nations agencies and stakeholders, in order to receive information and share good practices on the matter;

Concerned at the multiple forms of discrimination that may affect older persons and at the high incidence of poverty and isolation among this particularly vulnerable group, especially older women, persons with disabilities, persons of African descent, individuals belonging to indigenous peoples, persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, rural persons, persons living on the streets, migrants and refugees, among other groups,

17. Stresses that families remain the first and most immediate environment where older persons can develop their potential and enjoy a fulfilling life, and that the realization of the human rights of older persons can be deeply affected by the quality of life and the support and assistance provided to them, including through access to a range of support services that are responsive to individual choices, wishes and needs;

18. Welcomes the initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the American Association of Retired Persons to collaborate on a worldwide poster competition for the Year, in which artists will portray their vision of "A society for all ages";

6. Emphasizes the importance of protecting and promoting the human rights of older persons, and urges States to integrate the promotion of and respect for the human rights of older persons into their respective national development frameworks, taking into account those marginalized and in the most vulnerable situations, to ensure that no one is left behind and that those furthest behind are reached first;

Recalling general comment No. 6 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the economic, social and cultural rights of older persons, as well as other relevant documents by treaty bodies,

12. Invites the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to continue its work on ageing and the situation of older persons, as described in its reports; 2/

• Ensure that the rights of persons who can be particularly vulnerable to abuse or neglect, including youth, persons with disabilities, the elderly and migrant workers, are protected;

11. Encourages relevant United Nations funds and programmes and the specialized agencies, non- governmental organizations and the private sector to support local, national and international programmes and projects for the Year, and also encourages them, in particular the United Nations Development Programme, as well as international financial institutions, to ensure that the concerns and contributions of older persons are integrated into their development programmes;

Recalling further the General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolutions on the issue of the human rights of older persons,

1. Recognizes the challenges related to the enjoyment of all human rights that older persons face in areas such as prevention and protection against violence and abuse, social protection, food and housing, employment, legal capacity, access to justice, health support, long-term and palliative care, and that those challenges require in-depth analysis and action to address protection gaps;

13. Expresses particular concern at the grave problems faced by many internally displaced women and children, including violence and abuse, sexual exploitation, trafficking in persons, forced recruitment and abduction, and encourages the continued commitment of the Special Rapporteur to promote action to address their particular assistance, protection and development needs, as well as those of other groups with special needs, such as severely traumatized individuals, older persons and persons with disabilities, taking into account all relevant United Nations resolutions;

Noting with appreciation that the University is organizing a symposium in celebration of the International Year of Older Persons, 1999, at which it will emphasize the valuable contribution that older persons can make to the promotion of peace, solidarity, tolerance and the culture of peace,

Keeping in mind that the ageing of societies in the twentieth century, unprecedented in the history of humankind, is a major challenge for all societies and requires a fundamental change in the way in which societies organize themselves and view older persons,

1. Expresses its deep concern at the fact that arms transfers to those involved in armed conflicts may seriously undermine the human rights of civilians, especially women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups;

2. Notes with appreciation multilateral, regional and subregional initiatives aimed at the promotion and protection of rights of older persons, including discussions on possible normative standards;