SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Republic has made considerable progress in guaranteeing the human rights of older persons, an expert from the Dominican Republic said today. UNwhich urged the country to take appropriate measures to include its elderly people in the most vulnerable situations in which public politics.
Claudia Mahler, UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, presented her findings (English/Spanish) following an 11-day visit to Santo Domingo and the provinces of Elías Piña and San José de Ocoa .
“All the stakeholders I have met have consistently underlined the progress made by the current Government towards better protection of older people in the country. With the proper allocation of resources and political will, I am confident that the institutional framework currently in force is a good basis for experimenting with the necessary improvements that the Dominican Republic needs to achieve to ensure the full enjoyment of the human rights of older persons,” he said. Mahler.
The expert welcomed the existence of a law dedicated specifically to the protection of the elderly and the creation of the National Council for the Aging Person (CONAPE), a government body in charge of applying public policies in relation to the elderly. Mahler congratulated the Government on the ongoing ratification process of the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of Older Persons.
“The ratification of this convention will serve as guidance to strengthen the human rights of older persons in the Dominican Republic in the near future and could serve as a basis for updating and reforming the law on the protection of older persons,” he said.
The UN expert affirmed that the Dominican Republic cultivates a culture of care for the elderly, although they continue to face important challenges.
“Despite the progress made, I would strongly recommend the introduction of a universal pension that includes older people in the most vulnerable situations, for example those who work in the informal economy or are undocumented,” Mahler said.
He urged the Government to increase the participation of older people in decision-making processes and to take into account the diversity of older people in its public policies.
The expert encouraged the adoption of a more human-centred approach to increase the visibility of older persons in the most vulnerable situations and guarantee the full enjoyment of their human rights.
“The Dominican Republic has a long history as an advocate for the rights of older persons, epitomized by Ambassador Julia Tavares de Álvarez, who pioneered the visibility of older persons at the United Nations,” Mahler said. “The Government will soon have the opportunity to renew its support for this cause at the Open-Ended Task Force on Aging to be held in New York,” she added.
The expert will submit a comprehensive report of her findings and recommendations to the Human Rights Council in September 2023.
