Toward a Human Rights Convention for Older Persons

Editorial: International Human Rights of Older Persons: The Gray Wave (April 2012)
Charles P. Sabatino is the director of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Commission on Law and Aging. In this editorial, he describes recent NGO advocacy efforts, particularly Global Action on Aging, to get the United Nations to pass a convention on elder rights. Presently, older people’s rights are rarely mentioned or monitored. Treaties are likely to cover ‘soft issues’ such as cultural involvement rather than substantive and enforceable civil and political rights. For the first time the ABA is supporting an elder rights convention even before the UN has decided to pursue such an idea. The ABA, which has consultative status with the UN, will be an active observer in the deliberating process. The Open Ended Working Group at the UN will next meet in August 2012.

Report: Argentina: Challenge Related to Aging of Population Ten years After MIPAA: Public Policies in Argentina from Point of View of Rights of Older Persons (October 6, 2011)
Dr. Adriana Fassio, Ministry of Social Affairs, National Direction for Policies for Older Persons, Argentina, was one of the keynote speakers on the International Day of Older Persons. In her speech she spoke about her country’s history, referring to the crisis it went through, and the impact on older people’s lives, as well as the issues they face today. Older person’s rights to economic security, health, wellbeing and the recognition of their contribution to society were also discussed. As a conclusion, she reaffirmed her wish to see the implementation of a Convention on older people’s rights.

Report: HelpAge International: Violence Against Older Women: Tackling Witchcraft Accusations in Tanzania (August 2011)
People, mostly older women, are persecuted and accused of witchcraft in many parts of the world including India, Kenya, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. In Tanzania, the situation is one of the worst: according to a Tanzania Legal and Human Rights Centre report, 2,585 women have been killed in eight regions where the practice is predominates; unofficial figures are more likely to be a thousand killings a year. The solutions are: to educate people through NGOs’ actions; to enforce witchcraft-related law and judge killers of so-called witches; an international awareness of witchcraft accusations.

Joint Statement by the International NGO Coalition for the Rights of Older People (April 18, 2011)
The long-awaited working session of the Open Ended Working Group on Ageing took place from 18 to 21 April, 2011. Along with Member States, many NGOs, including Global Action on Aging, were present to make statements. In a joint statement, the NGO Coalition for the Rights of Older Persons called for a new legally binding human rights instrument for older people.

Fact Sheet on the Open Ended Working Group on Ageing (March 2011)
The UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing will meet in its first working session from April 18 to 21, 2011. Eight NGOs prepared this fact sheet on the working group and its intention to encourage civil society participation.

Ferdous Ara Begum Video Interview (August 26, 2010)
CEDAW expert Ferdous Ara Begum spoke with GAA interns about the need to protect the human rights of older women, an ignored and overlooked constituency in UN rights' review processes. This seven-part video examines CEDAW's achievements, addresses the General Recommendation on the Rights of Older Women, the roles of NGOs and civil societies, and initiatives people should take.

Report : Strengthening Older People's Rights: Towards a UN Convention (February 4, 2010)
Nine international ageing organizations joined to prepare this report highlighting the need for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. They believe that a Convention (or treaty among nations) will ensure that older women and men can realize their rights. With a new UN convention, and the assistance of a Special Rapporteur, governments can have an explicit legal framework, guidance and support to assure that older people's rights are realized in our increasingly aging societies.

International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) General Conference: Speech by Sergei Zelenev (July 2009)
Dr. Sergei Zelenev, in a presentation given in July 2009, outlined his plans to shrink what he calls the “normative gap” between the documents and international legal instruments, which relate to aging. He criticizes that these documents do not include age as a prohibited group for discrimination, as many states remain “age-blind” in their human rights reporting. Dr. Zelenev then offered his opinion on change: the implementation of an Expert Group Meeting to convene to state their opinions on the rights of elders to the General Assembly. This includes how to get and deepen fundamental rights for the elderly and how the Madrid Plan can be implemented. He also advocates for a special rapporteur that could promote rights by identifying problems and finding strategies for their solution. To see photos, click here.

NGO Side Event during the Commission for Social Development: Strengthening the Rights of Older People (February 9, 2009)
Read the findings of a Side Event held at the 47th Session of the Commission for Social Development (2009): The NGO Session spotlighted the need for an International Convention on Aging, due to unprecedented demographic ageing and the widespread age discrimination and prejudice. To ensure a global level of accountability, panelists agreed that UN Member States must adopt an international legally binding document. Initiatives taken at the UN level can also create a call for action at the national level. Speakers and the audience stressed the need for a broad coalition of NGO’s and older people, to help the Member States implement a Convention’s new legal arrangements to support older people’s lives.

Global Action on Aging Side Event: "What can Ageing Advocates Learn from the Disability Convention Process?" (February 6, 2008)
GAA, along with Friedrich Ebert Foundation, organized a Side Event Session entitled, “What can Aging Advocates learn from the Disability Convention Process.” The Feb. 6 session attracted both young and old, able and disabled persons of all ages. Speakers explored the processes, such as NGO self-organizing, their participation and negotiations among themselves. They also described the politics involved among governments in coming to an agreement and the current impact of the Disability Rights Convention on blind citizens living in poor countries.




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