Petition calls for United Nations to strengthen rights of elderly

FIGHTING to strengthen the rights and better the lives of older people, campaigners from The Association for the Aged (Tafta) have joined the global launch of a petition for a new United Nations (UN) convention.

As the world marks 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, supporters of the Age with Rights Campaign and Tafta have launched a petition calling on governments to uphold older people’s rights and start drafting a UN convention on the rights of older people.

Also read: 65th anniversary celebration for Tafta [Pictures]

The Age with Rights Campaign is coordinated by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) and was born out of the need to unite campaigners globally and mobilise in support of the rights and voices of older people across the world.

The new petition is an opportunity for the public to add their voices to the call on UN member states to start drafting a convention on the rights of older people.

CEO of Tafta Femada Shamam said, “I am inspired by our commitment to realising dignity, growth and a meaningful life for all elders.

An international convention on the rights of older people not only brings us closer to fulfilling our purpose for the current generation, but also contributes to shaping a world where we can age with pride.”

Margaret Young, chairperson of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People, said, “Imagine dignified, secure and self-determined lives in our older age, no matter who we are or where we are. To make this a reality, we need a UN convention on the rights of older persons. This UN convention will promote the full enjoyment of our rights in older age. It will protect our older selves from social and economic inequities, ageism and age discrimination. It will guide laws and policies to recognise older persons as equal members of society and strengthen accountability toward older persons as rights holders. Given its transformative ability and potential, I call more of us to stand up for the UN Convention so that all older persons can age with rights.”

Earlier this year, hundreds of people joined activities as part of the Age with Rights Global Rally in at least 23 countries around the world, and the campaign reached 2.8 million people online.

If you are an older person being abused or if you would like to report abuse, you can call Tafta’s National Toll-free Elder Abuse Helpline on 0800 10 11 10.

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