10 Reasons why we need to act to protect the rights of older people

[Photo Credit: The Elders, Flickr]

Next week, William (Bill) T. Smith of Aging in America will attend the Open Ended Working Group 3rd session  in New York on behalf of IAHSA, where the Committee on Ageing will be presenting to the government delegations, a list of nearly 100 endorsements on a call to action.  IAHSA is one of the many organizations who has signed this call.  The supporting organizations are suggesting ways the OEWG on Ageing can strengthen human rights instruments to better protect and promote older people’s rights.

The goals of this action plan include:

• Providing governments with a legal framework, guidance and support
• Having the capacity to address emerging concerns
• Guiding human rights organizations and civil society

Here are 10 reasons why we need to act to protect the rights of older people:

1– The Number of older people worldwide is growing at an unprecedented pace.

2– There is no dedicated protection regime for older people’s rights.

3– There are clear gaps in protections available to older people in existing human rights standards.

4– Older people’s rights are neglected in the current human rights framework.

5– Age discrimination and ageism are widely tolerated across the world.

6– Older people are highly vulnerable to abuse, deprivation and exclusion.

7– Older people hold rights but are often treated with charity instead of as rights holders.

8– National protections of older people’s rights are inconsistent.

9– Respect for older people’s rights benefits society as a whole.

10– Older people are an. increasingly powerful group.

 

Let’s work together towards building a consensus around the human rights of older persons!

[This list was written by HelpAge International along with papers prepared for the meeting. For more information, please visit www.helpage.org ]