Annual Report 2011–2012 General Assembly In February 2012, the GA launched an open-ended intergovernmental process to strengthen and enhance the human rights treaty body system. The GA’s process builds on a two-year multi-stakeholder process led by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to which the APF contributed. In recognition of the contribution that NHRIs have made to the treaty body strengthening project, the GA has taken the positive step of providing for arrangements to be made to enable its’ process to benefit from the inputs and expertise of NHRIs. The APF has developed an ICC-adopted advocacy paper that sets out proposed modalities for ‘A’ status NHRI contributions to the GA’s intergovernmental process. Commission on the Status of Women During the reporting period the APF continued a major campaign initiated by APF member institutions and backed by the ICC to ensure that ‘A’ status NHRIs are able to directly contribute their independent expertise to the CSW to better advance the rights of women and girls. Unlike the Human Rights Council, NHRIs cannot participate in their own right at the CSW and can only attend as part of their country’s government delegation, if they are invited. The NHRIs of Jordan (the incoming Chair of the ICC), Australia, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Morocco and Qatar attended the 56th session of the CSW, held from 27 February – 9 March 2012. The APF secretariat represented by its Deputy Director, also attended the session to support and coordinate the advocacy of these institutions. Open Ended Working Group on Ageing The mandate of the UN OEWG (resolution 65/182 General Assembly, December 2010) includes three aspects: • to consider the existing international framework on the human rights of older persons • to identify possible gaps and how to best address them, and • to consider, as appropriate, the feasibility of further instruments and measures. The first working session of the OEWG (18–21 April 2011) focused on the consideration of the existing international and regional human rights framework. The APF was invited to make participate and present at the 2nd session of the OEWG which took place from 1–4 August 2011. Member States, mainly from the Western European and Other Group (WEOG) and the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), intergovernmental organisations, UN agencies and NGOs were in attendance. A number of panelists were also invited to make presentations and/or facilitate the meeting including representatives from the Afghanistan and Kenyan NHRIs and the APF. Participants discussed a range of (i) normative gaps (ii) monitoring gaps (iii) implementation gaps and (iv) qualitative and quantitative information gaps with regards to international, regional and national mechanisms and for the protection and promotion of the rights of older persons. Issues that were raised included: • age-related discrimination and multiple discrimination • ageism, stigma and prejudice • poverty • violence and abuse of older persons • physical and mental health • social exclusion, and • equality before the law. 4. Engage with regional and international human rights mechanisms | 43