Civil society, governments, and UN agencies have undertaken significant work in recent decades to address the rights, needs, and wellbeing of older persons. One longstanding goal of this movement has been to advance an international convention on older persons’ rights. In support of this objective, in May 2024, the Global Initiative on Ageing and Longevity and the WORLD Policy Analysis Center circulated a discussion draft of a global convention on the rights of older persons, which may be found here.

This discussion draft grows out of an effort to ensure older persons have the same fundamental human rights already recognized and agreed upon by nearly all countries through the UDHR, ICESCR, ICCPR, and other global agreements. Enshrining these rights in a treaty specific to older persons–as the global community has already done for women, children, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, and marginalized racial and ethnic groups–would advance equality and make clear that older persons’ rights are human rights. While the vast majority of rights that need to be protected in practice already have a basis in global agreements, this discussion draft also draws on aging-focused regional treaties–including the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of Older Persons and the Protocol on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa–to ensure adequate coverage of areas with heightened importance for older people.

For further information about the process and sources that informed the discussion draft, please feel free to contact Aleta Sprague at Equal Futures: aleta@equalfutures.org.