The Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean Will Analyze Challenges Related to the Human Rights and Social Protection of Older Persons

Watch live transmission of the conference

(7 may 2012) The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Government of Costa Rica will hold the Third Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing in Latin America and the Caribbean from 8-11 May in San José.

The meeting will gather delegates from all ECLAC member States, as well as representatives of other UN bodies, experts on population issues and Civil Society organizations who will jointly examine the fulfillment of commitments made by the countries of the region when adopting the Brasilia Declaration at the Second Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing in 2007.

The event will be inaugurated by the President of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla, the Director of ECLAC's Subregional Headquarters in Mexico Hugo Beteta and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Marcela Suazo, on Tuesday 8 May at 3:00 pm at the Old Customs Building in San José.

The main topic of the Third Regional Intergovernmental Conference is "Ageing, Solidarity and Social Protection: Time to Move Towards Equality", which will be examined by participants in a document with the same title created by the Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE), Population Division of ECLAC.

In this document, elements for analyzing prospects on population ageing and its inclusion in public agenda are provided, based on ECLAC's development proposal entitled "Time for Equality". The report also shows a joint regional demographic overview with the purpose of ilustrating main population trends in the years to come and opportunities currently emerging for countries.

During the conference, delegates will identify key actions to be implemented in the next five years and, more specifically, those that will allow to strengthen national capacities for responding to main challenges and emerging issues related to older persons.

Likewise, the regional contribution to the 51st Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), to be held in February 2013, will be defined.

The media are invited to attend the Conference, which will take place at Hotel Barceló San José Palacio (Residencial El Robledal, La Uruca 4581150 San José, Costa Rica)

More information - including the full event agenda - is available on ECLAC's website.

For further questions, please contact ECLAC's Public Information and Web Services Unit: dpisantiago@cepal.org ; Tel.: (56 2) 210 2040.

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