U.A.E. calls for adequate measures to protect rights of older persons

GENEVA: U.A.E.'s Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva Obaid Salem Al Zaabi has stressed the pressing need for addressing challenges facing older persons and called for taking appropriate measures to protect their rights at national, regional and international levels in areas of healthcare, and social services and facilities. United Arab Emirates, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group at the UN Human Rights Council's interactive dialogue with Experts on Human Rights of older persons and on contemporary forms of slavery, said that the aging of the population was a global issue that needed to be included in the post-2015 development agenda, and insisted that the Madrid and Vienna Action Plans had to be implemented. Al Zaabi noted that more attention was paid to older persons in the modern time due to their rapid population growth in both developed and developing nations amid the improvement of health, living, social, housing, cultural and nutritional conditions. However, he admitted that demographic growth of older persons in the world remains a tremendous challenge to all in order to find more opportunities for them to reach their full potential in regards to engagement in economic, political, social and cultural life. He added that the Arab Group had made significant efforts to improve living conditions of this group either by reviewing national welfare legislations or delivery of social education, cultural and health services and support. The Human Rights Council held a clustered interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, and with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Urmila Bhoola. Ms Kornfeld-Matte said that the aging of the population took place in all countries. Older persons were not a homogenous group but a social construct on how persons interacted with society. ''The voice of older persons had to be heard during the elaboration of human rights legislation. It was also important to defend the dignity of older persons, including respect for their lives and the right to live without being subjected to exploitation and abuse,'' she added. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395269408873.html