New European Parliament resolution endorses AGE call to protect older person’s rights

Good news regarding the advancement of older people’s human rights !

On 14 December 2016 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the ‘Annual Report on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter 2015’, which includes a reference to older people’s human rights. The report of the European Parliament explicitly supports our call for a better use of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), an active involvement in the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing of the United Nations, and a new international legal instrument that would address the particular challenges of older persons, as highlighted in AGE general declaration and Human rights Manifesto adopted by AGE members during their general assembly in November.

‘The European Parliament…underlines the particular challenges older persons face in the enjoyment of their human rights, such as when accessing social protection and healthcare; invites the Member States to use the current review of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing to map the implementation of existing instruments and to identify potential gaps; calls on the EU and its Member States to be actively involved in the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing and to step up their efforts to protect and promote the rights of older people, including by considering the elaboration of a new legal instrument.’

Access the EP resolution here

AGE warmly welcomes this development, which marks the increased recognition across the EU to move forward to enhance the protection of older people’s rights. This development is timely, as the Chair of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing, which took place in New York this week concluded that there is a need for more regional discussions on the promotion and protection of the rights of the older population. We hope that the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) will continue the discussion around a new UN instrument consulting older people’s organisations. Hopefully this development will also steer a debate at national level and more EU Member States will participate in the next UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing, which is planned for July 2017.

For more information, please contact Nena Georgantzi, nena.georgantzi@age-platform.eu

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