Rally for the Rights of Older People

There is a global movement centered on human rights in older age. This movement is growing with strength. Older people, non-government organizations, academia, private organizations, and national human rights institutions are rallying for the rights of older people.

Their voices and activism activities are national, regional, and global. Their messages are:

  • Older people are rights holders.
  • Systemic human rights violations toward older people need to end.
  • Human rights must be recognized and promoted for self-determined and dignified elder years.
  • Global aging trends demand a human rights framework that effectively supports our new aging narrative.

Rally for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People

Today, we do not have internationally agreed human rights standards for older persons and older age. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 2021 analytical report confirms this. The report recommends a new international human rights instrument dedicated to older persons and older age. Based on this report, other analyses, and lived experience evidence, advocates are rallying for a UN convention on the rights of older people.

First-ever Global Rally for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People

In October 2021, countries adopted the first substantive resolution on the human rights of older people adopted at the UN Human Rights Council with consensus and no voting required. It was a watershed moment in the movement. The Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) seized the opportunity and launched the first-ever Global Rally for a UN convention on the rights of older people in March 2022. The goal was to accelerate and grow the movement.

We achieved these goals in 2022:

  1. The Global Rally strengthened and unified national and regional voices through the “Age With Rights” rallying cry.
  2. It created global solidarity through collective action toward the UN convention.
  3. It created opportunities for actors of all diversity to work together and champion older person and their human rights.

2023 Global Rally for the UN Convention

In the 2023 Global Rally, hundreds of people mobilized in at least 23 countries. Campaign activities ranged from street marches, multi-stakeholder meetings, video campaigns, and virtual rallies to media broadcasts. Older people, civil society organizations, academia, and national rights institutions worked together. Social media reach doubled the previous year at 2.8 million. The rallies were national, regional, and global. They included:

  • Thematic focus – such as ageism in healthcare.
  • Identity focus – such as older women and older LBGTI+ people.
  • Capacity building focus – such as human rights and why a UN convention for older people.
  • Multi-stakeholder focus – where older people and their advocates meet with their governments to discuss human rights issues and call for the support of a UN convention.

Advocates planned and executed their rallies in line with their ongoing advocacy strategies, while GAROP amplified the collective global voice through unified action. In 2023, the Global Rally took place again before the UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing session. Similarly, the session felt the Global Rally’s impact. Country representatives commented that solidarity amongst older persons, civil society organizations, academia, and NHRIs was the strongest they had ever seen. Their voices were strong, unified, and heard.

So, will there be a Global Rally again in 2024? Get ready – that’s the plan! To learn more about the Global Rally, contact info@rightsofolderpeople.org or drop me a line!