Regulation on high-quality services for older persons and their right to self-determination should be developed to realise older persons’ rights

On 19 March, the Human Rights Centre discussed the realisation of older persons’ rights in Finland with Claudia Mahler, United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by Older Persons. Mahler’s informal follow-up visit concerned Finland’s country report presented to the UN Human Rights Council in 2022.

The Human Rights Centre monitors and promotes the realisation of older persons’ rights in Finland, especially based on the recommendations associated with Finland's country report.

The country report is an important tool that comes with an overview of the status of older persons’ rights in Finland as well as concrete recommendations for measures aiming to promote them. The recommendations concerning Finland cover all areas of life, including data collection, discrimination, social security, employment, digitalisation, education and care. 

Older persons’ services, inclusion and right to self-determination should be strengthened further

According to the country report recommendations, quality monitoring of services for older persons should be strengthened, and regulation that promotes their right to self-determination should be developed. While alternatives to digital services are still needed to ensure that older people are not left behind in the technological transformation, a lifelong learning strategy that promotes older people’s active participation in society is also needed. Housing services should be developed to support older people in living independently as part of their communities.  

At the Human Rights Centre, the implementation of the recommendations is monitored by the Human Rights Delegation’s Division for the Rights of Older Persons. The Division has started its efforts by meeting with such key stakeholders as ministries, researchers and authorities to promote the implementation of the recommendations both locally and nationally.

In 2025, monitoring will have a particular focus on research data concerning the recommendation themes.

Read

• Report by Claudia Mahler, United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by Older Persons (PDF)
• Human Rights Centre’s web page on the rights of older persons

Enquiries:

Sanna Ahola, Expert, tel. +358 (0)9 432 3783, firstname.lastname@eduskunta.fi