51 Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and National Human Rights Organisations joined forces in a joint statement for the 11th session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group of Ageing. The statement and an accompanying cover letter was sent to several officials of European governments and EU institutions, asking them to :
- actively participate in the 11th session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing, including by considering whether a new instrument would make a significant and tangible difference to the lives of older persons.
- support the adoption of UN General Assembly resolution on the impact of COVID-19 on the human rights of older persons and the need for a new UN convention.
- support the establishment of a drafting group that will develop proposals for a new convention.
Our key joint messages
- According to the UN resolution (A/RES/76/139) the OEWG is responsible for fulfilling its mandate to present to the General Assembly, at the earliest possible date, a proposal containing, inter alia, the main elements that should be included in an international legal instrument to promote and protect the rights and dignity of older persons. Older people’s human rights are not currently addressed sufficiently by existing mechanisms and therefore require further international protection.
- A comprehensive, binding international instrument would provide the strongest protection for the rights of older persons
- Building on the voluminous material that has already been presented to the OEWG, we believe it is time for the OEWGA to formally decide to start drafting a new international instrument which should be elaborated as a binding convention on the human rights of older persons.
- We believe that in this process the leadership and applied commitments of European states are crucial.
For more information about this initiative see here or contact Nena Georgantzi
