Looking at the strong and weak aspects in the MIPAA implementation, the participating NGOs agreed on a common message and recommendations to improve the protection of older people’s rights on the ground. In their joint declaration, NGOs highlight the great potential – currently untapped – of the MIPAA to uphold the full spectrum of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights of older persons. They also support the UN Independent Expert on the rights of older persons, Ms Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, to establish a binding legal instrument, such as an international convention, to address the specific barriers faced by older persons in realization of their human rights.
A very large delegation of AGE members (from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, hungary, Iceland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK and Northern Ireland) was present at this forum and actively contributed to the final NGO Political Declaration.
Read the NGO political declaration here – also available in Spanish and Dutch (translated by AGE Belgian Flemish members) – and AGE press release here
The NGO political declaration was presented during the UNECE Ministerial Conference on 21-22 September, also attended by AGE.
Our call for an international convention to protect older people’s rights and fight age discrimination was largely echoed during the conference and was supported by organisations representing other age groups, including the European Youth Forum.
See also our October’s Special Briefing
