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NHRCK hosts major conference on rights of older persons

Graphic: Delegates at the ASEM Conference on Global Ageing and Human Rights

The ASEM Conference on Global Ageing and Human Rights was jointly hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and the Foreign Ministry.

About 140 officials from 45 countries, including from member nations of the Asia-Europe Meeting and UN agencies, recently met in Seoul to discuss opportunities for cooperation to better promote and protect the human rights of older persons.

The ASEM Conference on Global Ageing and Human Rights was jointly hosted by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) and the Foreign Ministry.

Participants discussed a broad range of issues, including the right to health, the right to social security, the right to work and non-discrimination on the ground of age.

The social exclusion of older people and their right to freedom from violence and abuse were also key topics of discussion.

Prior to the conference, the NHRCK organised a special session for national human rights institutions to review international trends regarding the rights of older persons and the role and direction of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions.

Chairperson of of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Lee Sung-ho, who chaired the ASEM Conference, said that South Korea will hold an international conference of experts on the human rights of older persons in the first half of next year.

In the Chairperson's Statement during the closing ceremony, he stressed the important role of governments, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organisations in protecting and promoting the rights of older persons.

The statement also called for ongoing global discussion and cooperation.

Date: 12 November 2015

Source: National Human Rights Commission of Korea


Image credits

  1. Delegates at the ASEM Conference on Global Ageing and Human Rights - National Human Rights Commission of Korea