DC Event: Strengthening International Human Rights of Older Persons

STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL AND


REGIONAL FRAMEWORKS TO PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS

Co-sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and

Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

March 17, 2011

9:00 – 11.30 am

American University Washington College of Law, Room 603

4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016

The panelists will discuss the recent activities and possible outcomes of the Working Group, which was established in accordance with the resolution of the UN GA Third Committee, A/C.3/65/L.8/Rev.1, adopted on November 19, 2010. The Working Group’s mandate is to consider the existing international framework, identify how to best address possible gaps, and consider the feasibility of a new legal instrument. Additionally, the panelists will discuss future implications of the ongoing process to strengthen the protection of older persons within the Organization of American States, in particular in light of the Special Session of the Permanent Council that took place on October 28, 2010, where the majority of participating states called for a regional convention on the rights of older persons.

8.45 Registration

9.15 Welcome and Introduction:

Dean Claudio Grossman, American University Washington College of Law

Diego Rodríguez Pinzón, Co-Director, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

9.30 Panelists:

Luz Angela Melo, LLM ’97, Human Rights Technical Adviser, UNFPA

Juana Sotomayor, Human Rights Officer, Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

Israel Doron, LLM ’94, Professor of Law, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Studies, Haifa University

Javier Vásquez, LLM ’96, Regional Human Rights Law Advisor, Pan-American Health Organization

Mario López Garelli, Senior Human Rights Specialist, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Jessica F. López, Chairperson, NGO Committee on Ageing - United Nations, and New York Senior Advisor, AARP Office of International Affairs (invited)

10.45 Discussion: (Moderator)

Vladislav Michalčík, Research Scholar-in-Residence, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

11.30 Closing Remarks:

Claudia Martin, Co-Director, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law



Registration is free but required – please go to www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration .

CLE Accreditation will be applied for (1.5 credits) – registration will be $55. For further information, contact: Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education, 202.274.4075 or secle@wcl.american.edu.



Please direct questions to:

Vladislav Michalčík, LL.M.

Project Coordinator/Research Scholar in Residence

Email: elderlyrights@wcl.american.edu

Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

American University Washington College of Law

4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20016-8181

Phone: (202) 274-4221

Web: http://www.wcl.american.edu/hracademy/elderlyrights.cfm

Latin American countries support a regional convention on the rights of older persons

As reported by HelpAge International: Thirteen Latin American countries have openly and directly supported a motion to work towards a regional convention on the rights of older people.
See the following link:
http://www.helpage.org/newsroom/latest-news/latin-american-states-support-call-for-a-convention-on-the-rights-of-older-people/?track=newsletter_id

Rights of Older Persons World Wide

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, has published a draft of an important report: CURRENT STATUS OF THE SOCIAL SITUATION, WELLBEING, PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT AND RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS WORLDWIDE.
This report includes a section that summarizes exiting legal rights of older persons on the international level.
Here is the link:
http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/world/2010/drafft.pdf

World Alzheimer Report

ADI publishs an annual global report on Alzheimer's Disease.
Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) is the international federation of 73 Alzheimer associations around the world, in official relations with the World Health Organization. Each member is the national Alzheimer association in their country who support people with dementia and their families. ADI's vision is an improved quality of life for people with dementia and their families throughout the world.
The World Alzheimer Report 2010 provides the clearest, most comprehensive global picture yet of the economic impact of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

The report includes an estimate of the worldwide cost of dementia, including direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs and costs of informal (family) care. The estimates are broken down by world region and include analysis of the differences between low and high income countries. The report also contains important policy recommendations and makes clear to key decision-makers that doing nothing is not an option.
To view the report:

http://www.alz.co.uk/research/worldreport/

The debate around mandatory retirement

Outside the US, and few provinces in Canada, in most of world, mandatory retirement is still legal, in force, and widely accepted.
However, in similar lines to the debates held in North America three decades ago, there is growing tension and call to abolish mandatory retirement all together or the replace it with more flexible retirement policies.
One interesting reports in this field has been produced in the UK, called: "Review of the Default Retirement Age: Summary of the stakeholder evidence". The report provide a broad perspective on the different point of views in this field and the political argument for and against changing the existing legal regime.
The full report can be viewed in the following link:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2009-2010/rrep675.pdf

ABA Commission on Law and Aging and International Elder Law

The ABA Commission on Law and Aging is a leader in developing the field of elder law. However, it is an American professional organization. Nevertheless, in recent years, the commission has adopted a vision regarding the importance of international elder law as part of its agenda to promote rights, status and legal power of older persons. In recent years, the commission added an 'international" representative to its board, and has been involved in bringing the American perspective to international initiatives. Finally, it has recently added to its web-site a page regarding resources in international elder law. For more details see below:
http://new.abanet.org/aging/Pages/default.aspx

UN Expert Group Recommendations on International Convention

One of the most important interntional legal issues today is the question about the need for international convention for the rights of older persons.
During 5-7 May last year (2009) an international group of legal expert held  a meeting in Bonn, under the hospice of the UN.
This group published an important report, which recommends to move forward with advancing this international convention.
The full report can be viewed here:
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/documents/egm/bonn09/report.pdf