CEDAW/C/GC/27 independent living and palliative care. Long-term care provisions should include interventions promoting behavioural and lifestyle changes to delay the onset of health problems, such as healthy nutritional practices and an active lifestyle, and affordable access to health-care services, including screening for and treatment of diseases, in particular those most prevalent among older women. Health policies must also ensure that health care provided to older women, including those with disabilities, is based on the free and informed consent of the person concerned. 46. States parties should adopt special programmes tailored to the physical, mental, emotional and health needs of older women, with special focus on women belonging to minorities and women with disabilities, as well as women tasked with caring for grandchildren and other young family dependants due to the migration of young adults, and women caring for family members living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Economic empowerment 47. States parties have an obligation to eliminate discrimination in all its forms against older women in economic and social life. All barriers based on age and gender to accessing agricultural credit and loans should be removed and access to appropriate technology for older women farmers and small landholders should be ensured. States parties should provide special support systems and collateral-free microcredit, as well as encourage microentrepreneurship for older women. Recreational facilities for older women should be created and outreach services should be provided to older women who are confined to their homes. States parties should provide affordable and appropriate transportation to enable older women, including those living in rural areas, to participate in economic and social life, including community activities. Social benefits 48. States Parties should take necessary measures to ensure older women have access to adequate housing that meet their specific needs, and all barriers, architectural and other, that hinder the mobility of older persons and lead to forced confinement should be removed. States parties should provide social services that enable older women to remain in their homes and live independently for as long as possible. Laws and practices that negatively affect older women's right to housing, land and property should be abolished. States parties should also protect older women against forced evictions and homelessness. Rural and other vulnerable older women 49. States parties should ensure that older women are included and represented in rural and urban development planning processes. States parties should ensure the provision of affordable water, electricity and other utilities to older women. Policies aimed at increasing access to safe water and adequate sanitation should ensure that the related technologies are accessible and do not require undue physical strength. 50. States parties should adopt appropriate gender- and age-sensitive laws and policies to ensure the protection of older women with refugee status or who are stateless, as well as those who are internally displaced or are migrant workers. Marriage and family life 51. States parties have an obligation to repeal all legislation that discriminates against older women in the area of marriage and in the event of its dissolution, including with regard to property and inheritance. 52. States parties must repeal all legislation that discriminates against older widows in respect of property and inheritance, and protect them from land grabbing. They must adopt 8