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โครงการศึกษาวิจัยเพื่อจัดท าข้อเสนอแนะนโยบายหรือมาตรการเพื่อคุ้มครองและส่งเสริมสิทธิของผู้สูงอายุ :111
กรณีการเลือกปฏิบัติในผู้สูงอายุ | 483

I would like to highlight the fact that the number of institutions with A status
accredited to the ninth session of the Working Group (18, from all five regional
groups) doubled that of the eighth session, which was the first in which such
institutions had been permitted to participate in their own capacity. I welcome their
active participation and the meaningful contributions that they made to the
discussions and work of the Working Group. Indeed, the Working Group continued
to enhance their participation in its work, pursuant to the mandate provided by the
General Assembly in its resolution 72/181.
The Working Group then proceeded to approve the participation of NGOs
without consultative status with the Economic and Social Commission that had
requested accreditation. It received a record 42 such requests, of which 40 were
approved without a vote and 2 by registered votes, in accordance with the
modalities of participation of non-governmental organizations in the work of the
Open-ended Working Group on Ageing (see A/AC.278/2011/2, para. 8).
In total, 321 representatives from 166 NGOs were accredited to participate in
the session, of which 112 representatives from 53 NGOs attended.
Subsequently, the Working Group held its general debate on the topic
“Measures to enhance the promotion and protection of the human rights of older
persons”. I appreciate and wish to acknowledge the active participation by the
representatives of many Member States and observer States in the debate, and by
those of groups of States, national human rights institutions, intergovernmental
organiz ations and NGOs.
During the general debate, delegations referred to the major demographic
changes that our societies are experiencing and, in particular, to the fact that the
portion of the population aged 60 years and older is growing faster. The need to
address those changes and prepare for their impact on the full and effective enjoyment
by older persons of their human rights was underlined.
Many delegations stressed the commitment of their countries to implement
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Develop ment and the cross-cutting principle of
leaving no one behind in their national policies and to guarantee the full inclusion
of older persons, who were identified as a vulnerable population. They referred, in
particular, to the imperative need to provide them with health care, access to
employment, housing and access to justice, among other essential human rights, in
order to protect their dignity.
Furthermore, delegations highlighted the importance of changing perceptions of
ageing and older persons and striving to encourage their participation as active agents
in society. They stressed the need to provide them with an enabling environment,
without discrimination, in order to achieve their social integration.
Moreover, delegations referred to regional instruments such as the Inter-
American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons and the
Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples ’ Rights on the Rights of Older
Persons in Africa as important tools for effectively protecting the r ights of older
persons and improving national policies. Some stated that the protection of older
persons could best be strengthened by improving the implementation of existing
international human rights instruments, while others stressed the importance of
developing a legally binding multilateral instrument to set universal standards and
obligations.
Lastly, many delegations stated that the Working Group should remain inclusive
and open, recognizing the valuable contribution of national human rights instit utions
and civil society.