From 23 to 26 July, the 9th Session of the UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA) takes place in New York. A side-event on the first day focused on the work of NHRIs in relation to ’Autonomy and Independence’ and ’Long-term and Palliative Care’ in the context of the Human Rights of Older Persons. ENNHRI was represented by its Chair, Lora Vidović.

In preparation for the 9th Session of the OEWGA, twenty-seven GANHRI members, including eleven ENNHRI members, submitted their reports in response to the guiding questions to the focus areas of this session: ’Autonomy and Independence’ and ’Long-term Care and Palliative Care’.

Croatian Ombudswoman and ENNHRI Chair Lora Vidović had an intervention on behalf of ENNHRI at the NHRI side-event on Monday 23 July. She mentioned that, between 2015 and 2017, ENNHRI carried out an EU-funded project, The Human Rights of Older Persons and Long-term Care, which led to a number of recommendations. Furthermore, ENNHRI members from Poland, Georgia, Germany and Croatia were present at the event. It has the objective of examining the findings and conclusions of NHRIs across all regions in relation to these topics.

Stronger protection framework

“Policy makers and service providers should integrate a human rights-based approach to the design and delivery of Long-term Care. Equally important is that they should take steps to ensure the participation of older persons and make them aware of their own rights. NHRIs must continue to encourage European states to facilitate the ongoing monitoring of older persons’ human rights situations”
Lora Vidović, Croatian Ombudswoman & ENNHRI Chair

During panel discussions, NHRIs form across all regions shared good practices and examined their conclusions in the context of the Human Rights of Older Persons.

The event is co-hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF).

The statement by GANHRI, in which ENNHRI was mentioned, can be found here. For more information, please contact Siri Berge Engerud.