Our Belgian members welcomed the support for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons but also emphasised that other measures introduced are far from beneficial for older people.
The new Belgian government has included a reference to the fight against age discrimination in its coalition agreement. It has also expressed support for a new international, legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons, stating:
This Belgian commitment comes at a crucial time, as the UN Human Rights Council is currently preparing a resolution on the need to establish an intergovernmental working group to to elaborate an international legally binding instrument. AGE warmly welcomes this development and urges the active involvement of older persons and their representative organisations in the next steps.
We extend our gratitude to the organisations and advocates on the ground who have contributed to this progress. We will continue to support their efforts in ensuring Belgium provides tangible backing in the ongoing negotiations in Geneva.
Our Belgian members have also endorsed and welcomed this political development. While this specific support for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons is a positive step toward fostering a society for all ages, other measures introduced by the new Belgian government, in contrast, are far from beneficial for older people.
Find out more about our advocacy work for a UN convention to better protect rights in old age.
