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SDG target 13.3: “Improve education, awareness raising and human and institutional capacity on climate changemitigation, adaptation, impact
reduction, andearlywarning.”
Article29onSituationsof riskandhumanitarianemergenciesof the Inter-AmericanConventiononprotecting thehuman rightsof older persons
establishes that States Parties shall adopt all necessary specific measures to ensure the safety and rights of older persons in situations of risk,
including situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies, and disasters, in accordancewith the norms of international law, particularly
international human rights law and international humanitarian law. States Parties shall adopt assistancemeasures specific to the needs of older
persons in preparedness, prevention, reconstruction, and recovery activities associatedwith emergencies, disasters, and conflict situations States
Parties shall foster theparticipationof interestedolderpersons incivil protectionprotocols in theevent ofnatural disasters.
Comments
In 2012 the Pan American Health Organization prepared a detailed guide on the inclusion of older persons in disaster management.
See Pan American Health Organization (2012) Guidelines for Mainstreaming the Needs of Older Persons in Disaster Situations,
Washington, D.C.: PAHO, 2012.
Between 2008 and 2011, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provided funding to Help Age
International to second two experts on ageing to the Global Production Cluster. Their role was to help cluster members working in the
field to identify and respond to the protection risks facing older persons affected by conflicts and natural disasters, as well as to
incorporate their needs into evidence-based protection programming. The conclusions are presented in the document entitled “Protecting
older people in emergencies: good practice guide”.
