United Nations (UN) Conventions A UN convention is an international treaty that binds countries once adopted at the UN General Assembly and ratified back home in the country. Countries with ratified treaties report their implementation progress to the UN Human Rights Council for peer review. This review process encourages global dialogue and establishes accountability. It
Afraid to go out – No Public Washrooms! “I am afraid to go out to out. There are no public washrooms. I can not control my bladder like I used to”, said an older gentleman at a recent consultation. I saw a few other resigned looks of helplessness when I scanned the virtual room.
The Canadian Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors Forum launched a national consultation on ageism in 2022. Age Knowble contributed to this consultation and hosted three sessions with older person participants referred by MOISAC, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, and South Vancouver Seniors Network. In addition to English, Age Knowble held Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking sessions. All
On this International Day of Older Persons, I celebrate our older people and their resilience. I am grateful for their inspiration and courage. Be it The older people, who walk with conviction using their canes and walkers, and showing us that setbacks do not define us. Or the courageous older woman, who
ASEM Global Ageing Center (AGAC) is a Korean-based organization that promotes and strengthens the human rights of older people through policy research, education, and dialogue. AGAC engages policy and human rights experts globally in their work. In October 2021, I was honored to be a keynote speaker at AGAC’s Civil Society Talk. I presented
Leading up to the 11th session of Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing Working Group, there are a number of global dialogues on the rights of older persons and advocacy for a convention on the rights of older persons. Find out what the buzz is all about: Paving the Way to OEWGA11 in Conversations with
COVID-19 shines a sobering spotlight on the deeply rooted discrimination and inequities against old persons worldwide. We can no longer justify inaction and complacency. Therefore, it is with loud cheers that we applauded the 146 Member States who signed a statement of support for the UN Secretary General’s “Policy Brief: The impact of COVID-19
When 85-year-old Charles goes for lunch with his daughter, he feels invisible. The waitress asks his daughter what he wants to eat. Charles feels frustrated and powerless as if his voice has been snatched from him, without permission. This is just a small example of what aging without voice and choice means for older
Is happiness a right or is it just an ideal state? If it is a goal, how do we know when we’ve reached it? If the happiness lasts only a short time and then disappears, is the goal still reached? The United States in unique among countries in that it has enshrined the right
“If you want us to live a long life, make it so that we can actually live our lives!” This was a comment borne out of frustration but reflects well the general feeling in a recent discussion about older persons and justice. More than 30 people gathered to share stories of the injustice they’ve
