UN to Draft Convention on Rights of Older Persons

Kathmandu. The United Nations is preparing to draft a separate convention on the rights of older persons. The existing international human rights laws are insufficient to address the suffering and lack of human rights faced by older persons, hence a specific convention is being created to guarantee their rights. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has collected suggestions by holding discussions with civil society organizations representing older persons in Kathmandu. While the process of drafting the convention is underway, a three-day consultative workshop has been organized in Kathmandu to include the issues of least developed and South Asian countries in the convention. Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Chitralekha Mary Massy, Head of the Older Persons Unit at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that a legally binding convention has become necessary due to the rapidly increasing global aging population. She noted that the Asia-Pacific region is becoming the continent with the fastest-growing elderly population, thus requiring special attention. She also informed that one in every six people over 65 years of age worldwide experiences violence, abuse, or neglect. Dr. Massy said, 'For the first time in history, in 2018, the number of people over 60 was greater than children under 5. By 2030, the projection is that the number of people over 80 will be greater than children under 1 year.' Pointing out that governments do not classify data, she added, 'When governments do not classify data by age, older persons are almost invisible in policy-making. Just like CEDAW for women or CRPD for persons with disabilities, a separate convention is needed for older persons.' She emphasized that this new international legal instrument should bring about equal transformation in the lives of older persons in developed, developing, and poor countries. Since aging is a natural process, she stated that today's youth should take an interest in this issue for their own secure future and rights. Rights activist Dr. Renu Adhikari said that as Nepal's demographic structure is changing rapidly, the state needs to formulate concrete policies in a timely manner for the protection and management of the rights of older persons. She mentioned that after 2030, Nepal will be among the leading countries with a majority of citizens over 60 years of age. She explained that due to foreign employment and youth migration, older persons are increasingly facing problems like loneliness, depression, and Alzheimer's as they are left without children at home. Sharing her views, Dr. Adhikari said, 'After 2030, the population of people over 60 years of age is rapidly increasing in our country. Earlier, daughters-in-law used to come with complaints of violence, but now mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law are coming with cases of violence.' Highlighting the problems created by foreign employment, she added, 'Loneliness and depression have increased due to foreign employment. This consultation has been organized so that our specific problems are not left out of the UN convention.' Shantalaxmi Shrestha, coordinator of the National Network for Older Persons, emphasized the need to reform the traditional perspective towards older persons and make it rights-based. She said, 'Although we have laws and policies in our country, the perspective towards older persons remains discriminatory. It is wrong to consider the elderly as merely helpless and objects of pity.' She stated that older persons themselves should have direct and meaningful participation in issues concerning them. So far, no separate convention has been made for older persons, unlike for women, children, or persons with disabilities. It is believed that the convention will provide a legal basis to prevent abuse, economic exploitation, and neglect of older persons. This workshop was jointly organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the National Network for Older Women, Vidushi, and Maya Ko Pahichan.