We are living in an age of ageing with a fast-growing number of older people. Life expectancy has increased significantly over the past years. Japan has nearly 100,000 people aged 100 or older - the highest in the world, with women comprising roughly 88% of this population. By 2050 the population of persons above 60 years of age is projected to grow to 2.1 billion (nearly one fifth of the total global population).
"The rights of older people have been neglected for long. At best they are treated as recipients of charity, rather than as an asset to society. From my lived experience, I would like to reaffirm that we, the so-called elderly persons, are not asking for mercy. We are asking for our long overdue rights. We need to be recognised - not as burdens, but as rights holders and as vital contributors to families, communities, economies and public life. We do not need shelter homes but the right to live a fulfilling life," said Shobha Shukla, founder leader of Development Justice for Older Persons (DJ4OP) and host of SHE & Rights.
It is heartening to see that finally the UN has woken up to this reality and started the process to draft a legally binding UN treaty to protect human rights of older persons (formally called the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons). Shobha Shukla was one of those with lived experience when drafting of legally binding treaty began earlier this year.
This legally binding treaty would outlaw prejudices - based explicitly on chronological age - in law, employment, and society; guarantee older adults the right to make independent decisions regarding their care and life choices; establish enforceable legal frameworks to protect older individuals from physical, emotional, and financial exploitation; ensure equitable, high-quality, and affordable physical and mental healthcare; and protect access to pensions, financial security, and inclusion in community life.
Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council has established an intergovernmental working group (IGWG) to draft this new international treaty.
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