The non-governmental (NGO0 Committee on Ageing was a founding member of the Global Ageing Network in New York. The Committee is comprised of volunteer professionals from a variety of fields whodedicate their time to advocate at the United Nations on behalf of older persons around the globe. For the past 14 years, the primary focus has been dedicated to securing a Convention or legal instrument to protect the rights of older persons.

Through the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA), the Global Ageing Network and the Committee discussed, studied, and developed international norms, rules, and solutions to protect the human rights of older persons. At the end of fourteen years, the Human Rights Council in Geneva began to draft language for a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. Once completed, it will be returned to the General Assembly in New York for consideration and action. In addition to this important work, members of the NGO CoA New York work hard to inform Member States and Missions on a variety of other topics, four of which are summarized below:

1. Committee for Social Development and Care

The Commission for Social Development (CSocD) is a central platform for shaping how governments translate global commitments on ageing into national policies. This year, the 63^rd session of CSocD is to be held in February 2026 in New York, including an emerging     focus on care and support systems. CSocD discussions influence whether care and support are treated as a narrow service issue or a broad social, economic, and human rights priority. Engagement at the national level can help ensure that care and support policies reflect the realities of older persons and those who support them.

2. Fifth Review of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing 

The fifth review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) will commence in 2026, with regional reviews in 2027 and a global review in New York in 2028, marking 25 years of adoption of MIPAA. Although government-led, the process is explicitly bottom-up and participatory, creating an important entry point for the Global Ageing Network members to engage national authorities, contribute to evidence and lived experience, and help shape how progress and gaps in ageing are assessed at regional and global levels.

3. Human Rights Council working group in Geneva

In 2026, the Human Rights Council working group will begin engaging in the initial steps of the process towards the elaboration of an international legal instrument on human rights of older persons. At this stage, advocacy is most effective when it prioritizes meaningful participation of older persons-in line with the principle of “nothing about us without us”-and when it helps sustain attention across systems, including in New York, so that the well-being of older persons is not sidelined while discussions and technical work unfold in Geneva.

4. Call to Action

The Global Ageing Network members are encouraged to mobilize their national networks. Get to know how governments are changing in CSocD, MIPAA, and human rights processes, connect service providers and older persons to these discussions, and help ensure that global commitments on ageing are translated into policies, programs and services that improved lived experience on the ground.

In addition to the important issues listed above by the NGO CoA in NY has a number of Subcommittees, including:

• The rights of Older Persons monitor the activity in Geneva and develop strategies as to our approach with member states, once the drafting is completed and the work returns with recommendations on the Convention on the rights of Older Persons, to the General Assembly.
• Older Women looks at the multiple issues at the UN when girls and women are overlooked in policy deliberations.
• Program Committee plans the International Day of Older Persons every October.
• Global Alliances is a new initiative looking to spread our message to other groups, organizations or networks around the world.
• Fund Development is in place to ensure that the NGO CoA NY has the resources to fulfill its mandate and mission.
• Intergenerational collaborates with the youth NGO’s that have strong support at the UN. All that we are doing will hopefully benefit younger people.

The Global Ageing Network is an important part of civil society. Members are invited to join the NGO CoA NY and support this important work regionally and globally. For more information and to join, visit www.ngcoa-ny.org.