Transcript Presentation by the HelpAge International: Health and Human Rights of Older Persons: Challenges and Opportunities in PPT

Health and human rights of
older persons:
challenges and opportunities
Key challenge
Exclusion of older people at 3 critical levels:
1. As individuals
2. In sectoral policy making
3. In human rights monitoring framework
1. Discrimination against individual older people
“We have to tell a lie when
calling the ambulance.”
“They invent illnesses because
they feel marginalised.”
“You are wasting the doctor’s
time – you are not sick, just
old.”
2. Exclusion from sectoral policy making
Invisibility in the data (1)
 HIV: 15 – 49
 Violence against women: 18 – 49
Invisibility in the data (2)
Available data 32 country survey:
 Use of health-care facilities: 50%
 Numbers of geriatric wards: 44%
 Older people’s health expenditure: 28%
 Government expenditure disaggregated by age: 19%
3. Invisibility in human rights monitoring
framework
Attention by treaty bodies
Treaty Body
No. of
references
CEDAW
295
CESCR
75
CAT
5
HRC
4
CERD
2
Inconsistent attention
CEDAW CESCR
Right
38
to
Health
15
SR
on
IDPs
SR on
SR
housing on
E,S
&A
Ex.
SR on
indig.
people
Total
no.
4
-
1
60
2
Opportunities
• States Parties: periodic reporting
• Treaty Bodies: list of issues, constructive dialogues,
concluding observations
• Special procedures
• UPR
• HRC: Consider suggestions from OEWG - special
rapporteur & convention
14 | HelpAge International | Presentation title | Author’s name | November 17, 2008
www.helpage.org