In the framework of the permanent cooperation with United Nations’ bodies and agencies, our Association informed the Intergovernmental Working Group on Older Persons in the framework of its elaboration of the next global international treaty on the human rights of older persons.
The ARC submission, prepared by Eduard Pleshko, Anna Prykhodko, and other experts and published at the UN official web-sources now, reminded the Working Group of gross violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights’ law against older persons committed by the Russia-controlled troops and mercenaries in Ukraine, including relevant destruction of the civil infrastructure.
The ARC submission stressed that in conditions of interstate conflicts, aggressions, and foreign occupation, the demands of the Rome Statute, Geneva Convention, and Additional Protocols to them must be taken into account in issues of rights of older persons, including ongoing challenges to their economic and social rights.
Decisions of the International Criminal Court and of international human rights institutions in cases of gross violations of rights of older persons, including issues of protection and ensuring their vital needs, in conflict zones and zones of foreign effective control must be taken into account also.
The ARC submission added that aspects of state terrorism and financing of terrorist groups and activities that are against older persons in conflict zones and zones of foreign effective control, such as Crimea, including ongoing challenges to the older persons’ economic and social rights, also must be condemned in the next global treaty.
Our submission pointed out that issues of disinformation, enforced disappearances, illegal imprisonment and fines, hate speech, racial discrimination, and genocidal policy against older persons, especially those belonging to minorities and indigenous peoples, in conflict zones also must be banned in the relevant UN legally binding documents.
Our communication with the UN bodies on the above described issue will be continued.
