Ávarp um réttinn til þróunar og réttindi eldra fólks

Þorvarður Atli Þórsson sendiráðunautur flutti í dag ávarp í umræðum um réttinn til þróunar og réttindi eldra fólks í mannréttindaráði Sameinuðu þjóðanna.

Clustered interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the right to development and the independent expert on the rights of older persons

12 September 2019

Statement by Iceland

Thank you Mr. President,

Iceland thanks both the Special Rapporteur and Independent Expert for their comprehensive reports. We also want to welcome their additional efforts by submitting a summary of their reports as it will hopefully contribute to focus our discussion.

Mr. President,

We would like to thank the special rapporteur for his continued efforts for the practical implementation of the right to development.

As stated before, Iceland believes that a key component of Agenda 2030 is that it explicitly acknowledges that human rights are essential components of sustainable development, and vice versa. The premise of the Goals to leave no one behind can help promote inclusive development policies, as well as serve as a foundation for human rights promotion in development.

We believe this lens of the Agenda is particularly important in our discussion on the right to development, as well as on the link between development and human rights, and a more fruitful way to bring to realization the right to development than the continued focus on a legally binding instrument.

We would therefore encourage the rapporteur to continue his work for the practical implementation of the right to development.

Mr. President,

We would to thank the independent expert for her focus on human rights protection of older persons in emergency situations and for highlighting how we can ensure the protection of older persons rights in emergency contexts.

We would like to ask the expert, what are in her view the main obstacles to the inclusion of older persons in emergency frameworks?