As members prepare to celebrate the UN International Day of Older Persons, the Global Ageing Network hosted the Human Rights and Older Persons presentation on September 19, 2024.

During the presentation, Margaret Young, founder of Age Knowble, described the importance of the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA) and has been working on creating a Convention for the Rights of Older Persons: a legally, universally binding instrument that would require member states to report on and adhere to the standards stated in the document in their countries and regions. The Global Ageing Network, along with member states, NGOs, civil societies, and government representatives, has been working for the past 14 years to create such an instrument. The UN OEWGA completed its mandate at the 14th session and UN bodies will make a decision about next steps at their upcoming meeting in 2025.

Young reminded us that the work is not complete: We need to continue to move forward the agenda of ageing policy by working with human rights organizations and coalitions, participating in local campaigns, and advocating with governmental ministries on the rights of older persons.

Femada Shamam, CEO of The Association For The Aged (TAFTA), shared her experience taking global concepts and mobilizing them in a regional context. TAFTA is a member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) and uses the templates at GAROP for local content. TAFTA spotlighted the lives of older people and what they were doing, using messaging that was crafted around human rights and active ageing. The medium used was imagery of older persons at TAFTA using a ZULU greeting, a local greeting, to craft a campaign that was palatable for the community to embrace. TAFTA partners around Durban also localized the content.

Andrew Kavala, executive director of the Malawi Network of Older Persons’ Organizations (MANEPO), has been working with the Malawian government to pass a bill in Parliament that includes a legal framework for persons moving forward. He believes that aged care providers can empower the ageing population to hold policy makers accountable and ensure that they can speak for themselves and what they are going through. Andrew’s motto is, “Nothing for them without them!”

William Smith, president/CEO of Aging in America and UN representative for the Global Ageing Network, concluded the webinar by encouraging all aged care providers and advocates to continue the work of the UN OEWG and gather together to create one voice in order to make a greater impact.

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