The Council of Europe drafting group (CDDH-AGE) held its last meeting between September 23rd and 25th 2013 in Strasbourg and has completed its mandate finalising the Recommendation on the promotion of the rights of older persons. AGE Platform Europe (AGE) has reviewed thedraft recommendation and welcomes the revisions made to reflect the comments made by the Steering Committee on Human Rights (CDDH) as well as the updated list of good practices included in the draft recommendation. Based on the current draft and after carefully considering the letter of 30 July 2013 by Ms Maria Soledad Cisternas,Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,we have submitted written comments drawing the attention of CDDH-AGE Group on the following items, in view of informing the last stages of elaboration of the draft recommendation, the list of good practices and the explanatory memorandum:
· The intersection of age and disability and the application of CRPD standards on older persons
· The principle of involving older people
· The good practices examples
The note that AGE prepared for this meeting can be found here.
In this last meeting AGE’s contribution has been instrumental in:
- Adding a provision saying that older persons should be consulted through representative organisations, prior to the adoption of measures that have an impact on the enjoyment of their human rights.
- Including reference to the European Charter of the rights and responsibilities of older people in need of long-term care and assistance and WeDO, both in the list of good practices, as well as the Explanatory report of the Recommendation
- Improving the wording of articles (and their explanation in the report) related to older people’s autonomy and care (articles 8,12, 40 and 42) in line with the Eustacea Charter, the principles enshrined in the WeDO framework, as well as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Ensuring that civil society can also contribute to the online gathering of good practices (an idea proposed by the French delegation, according to which CoE member States will be asked to update the list of good practices to give a more dynamic character to the Recommendation and guide policy change)
You may find the latest drafts of the Recommendation, the explanatory report and the compendium of good practices online (see Agenda and meeting report). The Steering Committee on Human Rights, will discuss this draft in its next meeting in November and once approved, it will be submitted for adoption to the Committee of Ministers in the beginning of 2014.
For more information you may contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.“>Nena Georgantzi, Legal & Research officer.
