Objectives of the visit

At the invitation of the Government of the Dominican Republic, the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Dr. Claudia Mahler, will conduct an official country visit to the Dominican Republic from 28 February to 10 March 2023. During this visit, the Independent Expert will assess the human rights situation of older persons and progress in the implementation of the State’s obligations to ensure the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons. She will also identify challenges and formulate recommendations to the State and relevant stakeholders, related to the realisation of all human rights of older persons.

Following a country visit, the Independent Expert presents a report with her findings, conclusions and recommendations to the State concerned at the Human Rights Council. The conclusions and recommendations made by the Independent Expert are a useful tool for States to improve measures to ensure the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons.

The Independent Expert will begin the visit in Santo Domingo and intends to travel to other cities and provinces, including in undertaking field visits to both urban and rural areas, to gain first-hand understanding of issues related to older persons. During her visit, and as a means of gathering information from all relevant stakeholders, she intends to convene meetings with Government officials; representatives from non-governmental and civil society organizations and the national human rights institution; community-based groups and older persons themselves. She will also meet with relevant international agencies working on issues related to older persons in the Dominican Republic.

At the end of the visit on 10 March 2023, the Independent Expert will debrief relevant Government officials on her preliminary findings, and in line with established practice, she will also hold a press conference in order to share the preliminary findings with the broader public. Additional information on the venue and time of the press conference will be shared prior to the visit.

The Independent Expert will submit a full report on the country visit to the Human Rights Council at its 55th session in September 2023.

Key questions and types of input sought

In preparation of the visit, the Independent Expert invites all interested individuals and organizations, including civil society organizations, activists, academics and older persons themselves, to provide input for the preparation of her visit. She would welcome information on issues related to the human rights situation of older persons.

While all submissions are welcome and the below points are not meant to be exhaustive, the Independent Expert would be grateful to receive comments that address the following topics:

• Legal, institutional and policy frameworks supporting the human rights of older persons;
• Conceptualization of ageism and age discrimination and measures taken against in the Dominican Republic;
• Situation of older persons regarding their civil, political, economic, social, cultural rights, including:
  • Violence, maltreatment, and abuse of older persons
  • Adequate standard of living respecting the independence and autonomy of older persons, including the right to adequate food, housing, and clothing
  • Social protection and the right to social security, including social protection floors and pension system
  • The rights of older persons to economic security and to work, and access to the labor market
  • Education, training and lifelong learning of older persons
  • Participation, consultation and involvement of older persons and organizations of older persons in decision-making processes
  • Transportation, infrastructure and public spaces for older persons
  • Access to new technologies in communication and information and digitalization of older persons
  • Care by and of older persons
  • Right to health of older persons
  • Access to justice for older persons
• Protection of the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons as a duty of States, and how it has been implemented by the Dominican Republic, to ensure the realization of older persons’ rights in the face of several current global challenges of, inter alia, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, cross-border migration, armed conflicts, etc.;
• Intersectionality and ageing, with a specific attention to specific groups: older women; older persons with disabilities; older persons belonging to ethnic, language and religious minorities; older refugees and internally displaced persons; older LGBTI persons; older homeless persons; older persons living in poverty; etc.

How and where to submit inputs

Inputs may be sent via e-mail at hrc-ie-olderpersons@un.org in format Word or PDF. All submissions must be received no later than 31 January 2023.

How inputs will be used

All inputs will be treated confidentially by the Independent Expert and her team and for the sole purpose of preparing for the county visit.

Reports, academic studies and other types of background materials can be attached as an annex to the submission.

The Independent Expert greatly appreciates the effort that goes into making such contributions and looks forward to reading the submissions.