A/HRC/14/31 C. Ensuring accessibility 72. The principle of equality and non-discrimination also requires States to ensure that social pensions are physically and culturally accessible to all older people. 73. States must remove administrative barriers that prevent older people from accessing social pensions, such as requiring identification documents for registration when such documents are costly or may not exist in countries where many people are not registered at birth. Administrative requirements often affect women disproportionately as they are less likely to have identity cards and have been registered at birth. There are alternative ways to assess and record ages based on local knowledge and personal references. Furthermore, the establishment of social pensions can be used as an opportunity to improve data collection and registration. 74. Ensuring that benefits are distributed within safe physical reach and at a reasonably convenient geographic location is part of ensuring accessibility. Limited physical strength and mobility can be a major obstacle for older persons, thus particular attention should be paid to older persons’ opportunities cost in terms of transport, loss of labour or caretaker time. While electronic methods of payment (e.g. debit cards, smart cards and mobile phones) can improve cost efficiency and provide flexibility of access, issues relating to older persons’ lack of familiarity with these mechanisms must be taken into account. 75. Cultural accessibility requires that outreach and information on social pensions must be specifically designed to reach excluded segments of society (e.g. radio announcements, talk shows, community plays, etc.). Outreach must also overcome illiteracy and linguistic barriers that may impair the access of older people from minorities, indigenous or migrant communities (e.g. by making information available in languages used by minorities and indigenous peoples). D. Ensuring transparency and access to information 76. A human rights approach emphasizes that transparency and access to information are important safeguards against corruption and means of increasing accessibility and participation. Limited access to information by beneficiaries impedes their access to programmes and their ability to claim their rights. Non-transparent implementation of pension schemes risks perpetuating unequal power relations and increasing the likelihood of mismanagement. 77. Guaranteeing transparency and access to information requires careful consideration with respect to the core components of the non-contributory pensions system, such as: (a) targeting mechanisms; (b) eligibility criteria; (c) benefit levels; (d) existence of complaints and redress mechanisms. Individuals and organizations should have the right to seek, receive and impart information in a clear and transparent manner. 78. Increasing transparency in the overall functioning of social pensions will also increase public support for investments in these policies. Any perception that pensions are not reaching their rightful beneficiaries or lack of trust in the sustainability of pension systems can be used to justify calls for limiting investment in non-contributory pensions. E. Ensuring accountability 79. Human rights standards emphasize that everyone has the right to an effective remedy when his or her rights have been violated. Policymakers and others whose actions have an impact on the social pension schemes must also be held accountable when their GE.10-12583 15