UK Government support for the protection of the human rights of older persons globally

This submission is made by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP), a coalition of around 400 non-governmental organisations world-wide united in our shared goal of securing a UN convention on the rights of older persons.

The UK Government has a strong tradition of championing human rights globally and has been actively involved in UN discussions to understand how best to protect the human rights of older persons. The UN, its Member States, civil society organisations (including those representing older people), national human rights institutions, and other stakeholders gathered a large amount of evidence through the work of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing over 14 years. Earlier this year Member States agreed by consensus that there are gaps in the protection of the rights of older persons and that the creation of a UN convention on the rights of older persons was among the responses to address those gaps. The General Assembly has urged UN bodies to further consider these recommendations from the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing.

The UK has a crucial role to play in promoting the rights of older people globally both through its diplomatic engagement at the UN and through the programmatic support it provides. An IDC Inquiry into the Government’s efforts to protect the rights of older persons globally would help guide efforts across multiple departments of the FCDO and identify how the Government could be most effective in this area.

This inquiry is timely as we expect the UN Human Rights Council will consider a resolution to begin drafting a UN convention on the rights of older persons as early as the 58th Session that begins in February 2025. The IDC’s input could help reinforce and guide the Government’s important contributions to the Human Rights Council’s work in this area.

GAROP Secretariat contact: info@rightsofolderpeople.org