This oral statement was broadcasted at the 48th Session of the Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of All Human Rights by Older Persons on 20th September 2021. Watch a video of the intervention here.
I am Sai Racherla from the Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW).
We applaud and call for the implementation of the recommendations put forth in the Independent Expert report; on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons; submitted to the Human Rights Council pursuant to resolution 42/12.
1 in 11 persons, were over the age of 65[1] [2]in 2019, and in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, the human rights of older persons have been at additional stake in Asia and the Pacific region.
We reiterate the call of the Independent expert to adopt and implement the human rights-based approach to ageing grounded in principles of equality, non-discrimination, participation, autonomy and independence. The need to address ageism and age discrimination and its intersections with sex, race, class ableism is most important.
We call upon the governments to address direct, indirect, multiple, cumulative and intersectional and structural discrimination, uphold the autonomy of older persons and advance their ability to participate on equal basis with other persons.
Age disaggregated data inclusive of older persons will help to identify and address inequalities, and patterns of discrimination faced by older persons and should be collected on an urgent basis.
Thank you.
[1] according to the World Population Prospects 2019
[2] https://arrow.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ARROW_9_Older-Women.pdf
