Türk calls for strong action to uphold the rights of older people

Seventy-five years ago, when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, one in 20 people in the world – or around 128 million people – were aged 65 years or older.

By 2050, it is projected that those over 65 will number 1.6 billion. In other words, one in six people on this planet will be an older person.

The fact that we are living a longer life is immense cause for celebration.

Older persons – and their leadership, knowledge and experience – are essential to inclusive and sustainable societies, and to decision-making and governance that is informed by the past, while looking to the future.

At the same time, laws and policies need to be adapted to meet the needs and respond to the challenges of ageing populations – not least, this means strengthening and investing in social protection systems, health care, and community-based services, as we saw in particular in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All of us – across generations – need to work together to address ageism and age discrimination which remains pervasive. The combination of age and gender discrimination can place older women, in particular, at risk of violence, abuse, and neglect – both at home and in institutions – which often remain hidden and unaddressed.

To better protect the rights and dignity of older people, we need to strengthen the human rights ecosystem. The current international framework to ensure the protection of and to address the challenges faced by older persons remains inadequate and fragmented.

As part of the Human Rights 75 initiative being led by my Office this year, I encourage all States to pledge their commitment to strengthening the protection of older people and to making progress towards a dedicated international instrument to uphold their human rights.

By taking steps to ensure the rights and dignity of older people, we will build resilient and inclusive societies for current and future generations.

Thank you.