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o National Human Rights Commission of Korea hosted international conferences in order to share related information and respond to issues related to protection and promotion of the human rights of older persons, amidst rapid population ageing across the globe.
o The conference was held for four days from September 4 to 7 at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. During the period, the 3rd ASEM Conference on Global Ageing and Human Rights of Older Persons, Special Session of GANHRI Working Group on Ageing, and a Roundtable on Operation of the ASEM Global Ageing Center was held.
o On September 4, the Special Session of GANHRI Working Group on Agieing was held. During the session, result of the 9th OEWGA session, activities of NHRIs for the promotion of human rights of older persons, cooperation measures for international institutions, INGOs, and NHRIs, operation of the ASEM Global Ageing Center, and direction for activities of the GANHRI Working Group on Ageing in 2019 were discussed.
o At the 3rd ASEM Conference on Global Ageing and Human Rights of Older Persons which was held from 5 to 6 September, experts and representatives from international institutions including the UN, UN ESCAP, UN ECE, WHO, OECD, OHCHR, NHRIs, INGOs, and ASEM members were gathered. Discussion was made regarding main activities and international trend on human rights of older persons, current statute and exemplary cases regarding long-term and palliative care for the elderly, root causes of and countermeasures against multiple discrimination facing the elderly including ageism, and measures for international cooperation.
o Opening Ceremony of the conference began with opening remarks of Chairperson Choi Youngae of NHRCK, and congratulatory remarks of Prime Minister Nak-yon Lee of Republic of Korea. Ambassador Martin Garcia Moritan and Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of India deliverd keynote speeches. In addition, Ministers from abroad and ambassadors in Korea attended, including the Ministers from Ministry of Social Welfare and Development of the Philippines, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement of Myanmar, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of Lao, Vice President of China National Committee on Ageing, Vice-Ministers of the Ministry of Human Capacities of Hungary, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Poland, and President of Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa of Protugal.
o In the morning session on September 5, Roundtable on operation of the ASEM Global Ageing Center was held, where the purpose of establishment, tasks, and operation measures of the center were discussed. The ASEM Global Ageing Center was established on June 26, and it is an institution specialized in human rights of older persons in ASEM member countries by serving as a hub for research and exchange regarding human rights of older persons.
o At the statement presented at the 9th Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions(GANHRI) stated that even though the right to autonomy and independence is the most basic and essential right for the elderly, there is no clear standard or definition under the international law. It also added that in a number of UN member countries, the responsibility to care the elderly lies solely on families with lack of related legislations and policies regarding provision of public service for long-term and palliative care.
O According to the 2017 Statistics on Elderly, Korea already entered an ageing society with its population of people aged 65 and above accounting for 14.3% of the total population due to rapid ageing. The figure is expected to reach 41.0% in 2060.
o In order to respond to such aged society, NHRCI planed to share international trend and activities regarding human rights of older persons, and discuss the need and measures for international cooperation.
o As Chair of the Working Group on Ageing, NHRCK plans to reflect discussions made and tasks agreed into the Chair’s Statement, further contributing to continuous cooperation of international community for the promotion of human rights of older persons.
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