GANHRI advocates for stronger protection of older persons’ rights at UN High-Level meeting
The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) called for strengthened international protection of older persons’ rights at yesterday’s UN high-level meeting.
Hosted by the UN General Assembly President, the meeting exchanged views and experiences on the recommendations from the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing’s decision 14/1 and identified steps forward for older persons’ rights and wellbeing through inclusive dialogue.
High-level participants included H.E. Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly; Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights; Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination; Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on older persons’ rights; Rigbe Gebrehawaria, Ethiopian Human Rights Commissioner and representing GANHRI; and Silvia Perel-Levin from the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance (ILC GA).
Commissioner Gebrehawaria, emphasized NHRIs’ critical role in protecting older persons’ rights. “From NHRIs’ experiences worldwide, we clearly see the gap created by the absence of a binding international instrument on older persons’ rights.” she stated. “This gap leads to fragmented protections and increased vulnerability.”
The meeting addresses urgent demographic shifts, with people over 65 projected to reach 2.2 billion by the late 2070s. Despite their vital contributions across communities, many older persons face discrimination, social exclusion, and service barriers.
A significant milestone was reached in March 2025, when the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution establishing an open-ended intergovernmental working group (IGWG) to draft an international legally binding treaty on the human rights of older persons with an explicit provision for NHRI participation.
GANHRI, through its Working Group on Ageing and the Human Rights of Older Persons and in close coordination with the UN Independent Expert and partners from civil society, had engaged in the consultation process, calling for the establishment of the intergovernmental working group to address the existing gaps in the protection of older persons’ rights.
This landmark achievement builds on sustained advocacy by GANHRI and its member institutions across regions. GANHRI’s recent work includes position papers with practical recommendations for NHRIs on how to promote the rights of older persons, coordination of NHRI participation at the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing in May 2024 and the Human Rights Council, and webinars and side-events to share good practices and strengthen NHRIs’ capacity to advance older person’s rights. NHRIs are explicitly invited to engage in the treaty development process, recognizing their expertise in protecting older persons through monitoring, complaints handling, government advisory services, care facility oversight, and public education initiatives.
At the UN high-level meeting, GANHRI urged Member States to address structural ageism, mainstream aging into national policies, support the establishment of a binding instrument, ensure adequate resources for the IGWG, and leverage regional developments like the African Union Protocol and the Inter-American Convention to strengthen global protection frameworks for older persons.
Read GANHRI full statement | Watch the recording of the event