Human Rights Council

Fift y-first session

12 September–7 October 2022

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 6 October 2022

5 1 / 4. The human rights of older persons

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Guided also by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other relevant human rights instruments,

Reaffirming the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action,

Bearing in mind the Political Declaration and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002, and all other relevant General Assembly resolutions,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 70/164 of 17 December 2015 on measures to enhance the promotion and protection of the human rights and dignity of older persons, and resolution 75/131 of 14 December 2020 on the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), and Human Rights Council resolutions 21/23 of 28 September 2012, 24/20 of 27 September 2013, 33/5 of 29 September 2016, 42/12 of 26 September 2019 and 48/3 of 7 October 2021 on the human rights of older persons,

Recalling also that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development stresses the need to ensure that no one is left behind, and in this regard recognizing the essential contribution that older persons make to the functioning of societies and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda,

Recalling furtherits resolutions 5/1, on institution-building of the Human Rights Council, and 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedure Mandate Holders of the Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that the mandate holder shall discharge his or her duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto,

Recognizing the importance of the mandate of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons in raising awareness of the rights of older persons, and taking note with appreciation of the reports of the Independent Expert and of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, which is open to all States Members of the United Nations, for the purpose of strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons,

Acknowledging the efforts of States to determine the best way to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older persons, and considering the various proposals that have been made within the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, including the possible elaboration of a multilateral legal instrument on the rights of older persons,

1.Welcomes the work of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons;

2.Decides to extend the mandate of Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons for a period of three years according to the terms set out by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 33/5;

3.Requests all Governments to cooperate with the Independent Expert, and invites them to provide the mandate holder with all necessary information relating to the mandate;

4.Requests the Independent Expert to report regularly to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in accordance with their respective programme of work;

5.Also requests the Independent Expert to work in close coordination, while avoiding unnecessary duplication, with the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, including by participating in its annual session;

6.Encourages all relevant stakeholders, including United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions and civil society, and invites the private sector, donors and development agencies, to cooperate fully with the Independent Expert to enable the mandate holder to fulfil the mandate;

7.Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the reports of the Independent Expert are brought to the attention of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 3 of General Assembly resolution 67/139 of 20 December 2012, and to the Assembly;

8.Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the Independent Expert with all the human, technical and financial resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate;

9.Decides to remain seized of the matter.

4 0th meeting 6 October 2022

[Adopted without a vote.]