Day Five: Seven Ways to Build Support for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People

Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, the Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of All Human Rights by Older Persons has now released her report to the Human Rights Council. You can read the report in full here.

In the report, the Independent Expert concludes that older people face particular challenges to their rights. She finds that the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) and the implementation of existing law are insufficient to provide full protection. The Independent Expert calls on the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWG) to fulfil its mandate and present a proposal to the UN General Assembly on the main elements of a new convention.

Over the next few months, UN member states will have a number of important opportunities to discuss how best to protect the rights of older people. This level of activity is rare, and it is essential that governments hear from a broad variety of stakeholders, including citizens like you.

Over the next few days, in cooperation with HelpAge International, we will be posting seven easy steps you can take before the 7th Open-Ended Working Group convenes in December. Please feel free to share this information broadly. We can all do our part to build support for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People.

Day Five: Encourage Your Government to Take Positive Action at the General Assembly, HRC, and OEWG

Use these key messages, courtesy of HelpAge International, to encourage your government to take the following practical steps toward a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.

• Meet with older people, civil society, and the national human rights institution to discusswhat is in the UN Independent Expert’s report and what this means for the contents of a new UN convention.

• Encourage other Member States in their region to attend and constructively participate in the 7th OEWG. 

• Support a Human Rights Council resolution on the rights of older persons at the Human Rights Council session in September 2016.
• Make a statement on the rights of older persons during the interactive dialogue on the UN Independent Expert’s comprehensive report at the Human Rights Council session in September 2016.
• Instruct their Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva to become a member of the Geneva Group of Friends, a group of like-minded member states working to promote the rights of older persons in the work of UN in Geneva.  

• Co-sponsor a Third Committee resolution on ageing and the rights of older persons.
• Promote and defend wording in the resolution on ageing and the rights of older persons supporting the establishment of a new convention on the rights of older persons.

• Send instructions to their Permanent Mission to the UN in New York to ensure that theBureau for the OEWG agrees on an agenda for the 7th OEWG session that enables Member States to discuss the content of a new convention if we had one.
• Instruct their Permanent Mission to the UN in New York to become a member of the New York Group of Friends, a group of like-minded member states working to promote the rights of older persons in the work of the UN in New York.
• Include an older person on the Government’s delegation to the 7th OEWG to ensure that older people’s views are represented.
• Attend the 7th OEWG in December 2016 prepared to talk about what should be in a new convention.