Towards a convention on the rights of older people

Teresa, an older HelpAge campaigner from Tanzania, speaks at the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing in New York. HelpAge and older campaigners, like Teresa, have spoken out at the UN about the need for a convention on the rights of older people. (c) Ina Voelcker/HelpAge International

HelpAge International is one of a growing group of NGOs, academics, lawyers, UN Member States and individuals who are calling for a new convention on the rights of older people.

Why do we need a convention?

Age discrimination and ageism are tolerated across the world. Older people experience discrimination and violation of their rights at a family, community and institutional level.

Unprecedented demographic ageing means that the number of people who may experience age discrimination and violation of their rights in old age is likely to increase.

Older people have specific requirements which are necessary to guarantee their rights. However, existing human rights instruments do not adequately articulate what they are. Neither do they clarify governments' obligations to protect older people's rights.

As a result, attention to older people's rights by human rights monitoring mechanisms, governments, the human rights community and civil society has been completely inadequate and older people's rights are not being sufficiently protected.

What would a convention do?

A convention on the rights of older people would protect older people's rights under international law. It would also:

  • Provide a definitive, universal position that age discrimination and ageism are morally and legally unacceptable,
  • Provide clarity on governments' human rights obligations towards older people,
  • Create an enforceable monitoring mechanism to hold those in authority to account for their actions towards older people,
  • Put age discrimination and older people's rights higher up on governments', donors' and NGOs' agendas,
  • Encourage a shift in attitude from older people being considered recipients of welfare to rights holders with responsibilities.

A new special rapporteur

HelpAge also supports the creation of a new special rapporteur on older people's rights, who would report to the Human Rights Council.

Their mandate would be to examine and report on the nature and extent of violations of older people's rights. They would also carry out country visits and make recommendations on how to better protect older people's rights. 

The UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing

The UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWG) was established by the General Assembly in 2010. The next OEWG meeting is in August 2013, where the possibility of a convention on older people's rights will be discussed.

The OEWG's main purpose is to strengthen the protection of older people's human rights by reviewing how existing human rights instruments address older people's rights. It will also identify any gaps in protection and explore the feasibility of new human rights instruments.

Civil society is able to participate and HelpAge has been actively engaging with the process. We continue support older women and men to take part and submit evidence from our programmes around the world.

What you can do

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Comments submitted for this page

  • TOM ONGWAE (30th August 2013)

    Older people are our parents who keep us to grow as a young generation. It is therefore our turn to protect them as they grow old.

  • TIAPPY YOUWO Marthe Lea (22nd August 2013)

    La personne âgée est très vulnérable chez nous au Cameroun en milieu rural l’accès aux soins, les difficultés nées du délitement du lien intergénérationnel, l'absence de lois régissant les conditions de la personne âgée.

  • Ayomiire George S. (2nd August 2013)

    I support the rights of elder people, being an elder myself. I recommend that the elderly be regarded as human beings, be given their rightful place in society and regarded as contributors of the wellbeing of humanity in the world each one basing in his/her country of abode. Elderly need to be supported at their old age as much as they supported the youth at their tender age; after all they are the custodians of history and other hidden matters of the world's living, they need to inform the youth, how to live a full life gain their full potential. Without the elderly, the world is doomed to go asray because the elderly have to advise and teach the way of life to the youth.

  • Joseph Vijay Panicker (24th July 2013)

    My whole hearted support for the Alliance.I wish to be there in person.

  • Monja Minsi (12th June 2013)

    Older People are vulnerable too, they shouldn't be discriminated against because of age.Their rights should be openly recognized.
    Uganda Reach the Aged Association

  • BANYWESIZE BAHIZIRE WILBRORD (31st May 2013)

    Que faire pour participer à cette réunion du mois d' Aout 2013,nous avons aussi de personnes agées non éventorier dans notre pays,l'expérience des autres peut nous servir de modèle.Je vous supplie si vous pouvez prendre ma requete en considération.

  • THOKO MOLEFE (4th April 2013)

    Human rights are older people's rights too

  • Barnabas Chinaedu Diala (23rd November 2012)

    There is really an urgent need for the enactment of a treaty that would help ensure the basic fundamental human rights of older persons,considering the level of routine violations these vulnerable group encounter especially in developing nations.

  • Jennifer (18th August 2012)

    Urgent attention to the elderly peoples rights.They need a voice.Donate a wall for us to sign a petition.

  • Sailesh Mishra (1st August 2012)

    Hi Iam attending OEWG on behalf of Silver Inning Foundation , India . Pls let me know how and whom we can ask govt to send their representative for this prog.

  • Navdha (10th April 2012)

    Hi Mizanur,
    Thanks for writing in. Please contact our Bangladesh for more information on how you can support our work and older people. Email: cdir@helpagebd.org Phone: +88 02 9870103, 9870253
    Thanks,Navdha.

  • Mizanur (10th April 2012)

    I am bangladeshi. Managing director of Monirampur Agro firm Limited. I wants to support older peoples by old home. Please help me.

  • Mizanur (10th April 2012)

    I wants to support older peoples by old home. please help me.

  • METANG PAULETTE (18th March 2012)

    I attended the second session of the open ended working group on ageing last august in New york (UN). I thoroughly support a UN convention. In my country Cameroon, ageing issues are sligthly a priority for the government. But we related NGOs LOBBY OUR Government so that they consider this issue as a priority;

  • Maria da Conceicao Lourence (23rd January 2012)

    I really support the idea of a convention for older persons, governments especially in my country Namibia have not put the agenda on ageing on their priority list,and there is a need for NGO's and institutions to rally and lobby for this convention.

  • Md.Azizul Haque (21st December 2011)

    Dementia fighting Together.

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