[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":56,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6556443,"mediaKeyId","3235796-8abcbc3504e635aa3e87673d8d802991","parentId",3235796,"title","UN high-level meeting advances bid for a treaty on older persons’ rights; member states divided on process","audioSeconds",4853,"startMs",2000,"endMs",4855000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235796-8abcbc3504e635aa3e87673d8d802991&start=2&end=4855","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235796-8abcbc3504e635aa3e87673d8d802991/thumbnail_2000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6556443/UN-high-level-meeting-advances-bid-for-a-treaty-on-older-persons-rights-member-states-divided-on-process","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556443-f90c6994b7a20591b0addeb28b5ff994/orig.mp4?Expires=1771210706&Signature=j908qW-f55wD3hOOR5-UrpgrOdboHKFs~SHdHZl7W-RmrAwCYNe2CPlJkjgwI61ghfq1I57B8MfgbMiqQGgwJ2BJ4XbsZioNH-qaLmt~AH7GfVPwxXnhALtRBiean0wDgEKXtx1vAWFjTHD1LlRZUnrH7Ez6UCyBlXSSnnAWSEc9HilHi4-fUWhWN9XkgTDMccL1rpImZl7FmDpYIAeMRvSKY1lcYAS6ADf5NOsUP4K1FrNUhpAAcgDtEeCEFC5rWtmdxEZW2nrIQGLP65Fz5cLW1Ya6PD4val0jfDS87QAmKnyl-7sagLYnLVQBti9wfbl5YJR-H7GkHYC9Wwf7bA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-08T22:57:31Z","article","Delegates at a United Nations high-level meeting on aging affirmed momentum toward drafting a legally binding international instrument on the human rights of older persons, while some member states warned the process risks duplication, limited inclusivity and budget burdens if carried out only through the Human Rights Council.

The meeting, convened under General Assembly guidance to review the recommendations in decision 14/1 of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, heard widespread praise for the Human Rights Council's March adoption of resolution 58/13, which establishes an open-ended intergovernmental working group to elaborate a draft legally binding instrument. \"This is a bold, concrete step,\" said the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, who highlighted broad cross-regional support for the council text.

The decision 14/1 produced in New York after 14 sessions of the OEWG on Ageing provided the factual basis for the next steps. Many delegations'including Argentina, Chile (speaking for the group of friends on older persons), the European Union, Portugal, Slovakia and a long list of cosponsors'told the meeting they supported beginning intergovernmental negotiations toward an international convention. Speakers emphasized the instrument should be inclusive, adaptable to national realities and grounded in human-rights standards; several urged that older persons, civil society and national human rights institutions take part meaningfully in drafting.

Supporters cited the widespread and recurring protection gaps reviewed by the OEWG and the need for binding standards. Delegations highlighted that the Human Rights Council text attracted broad sponsorship and said a treaty would address gaps such as age discrimination, access to health and social protection, autonomy and abuse in care settings.

However, a group of states raised procedural objections. The Representative of the Russian Federation said the council had \"exceeded its mandate as a UN subsidiary body of the General Assembly\" by launching a negotiating process in Geneva before New York members had reached a common view. China and the Islamic Republic of Iran urged caution to avoid duplication with existing human-rights instruments and to prevent additional budgetary burdens. Russia and others stressed that negotiating results at the Human Rights Council would ultimately need to be returned to the General Assembly for consideration by all 193 Member States.

Several delegations argued for a non-exclusive approach: that the new intergovernmental process in Geneva should consider all eleven options set out in decision 14/1 and coordinate with existing UN mechanisms and regional instruments. Delegations also urged that any new instrument provide flexibility to account for demographic, economic and cultural diversity and be accompanied by capacity-building and technical cooperation.

There were no formal votes at the United Nations General Assembly meeting itself. The meeting recorded and recapped earlier formal outcomes: the OEWG adopted decision 14/1 after 14 sessions, and the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 58/13 establishing an intergovernmental working group to draft a legally binding instrument. Member states differed on whether the council was the right venue to lead drafting and on whether the legal gaps identified require a new treaty or stronger implementation of existing treaties.

The meeting closed with calls to maintain political momentum in New York while ensuring an inclusive, transparent intergovernmental process in Geneva; several delegations asked that the draft product be referred back to the General Assembly for consideration.

Ending: Delegations agreed on the urgency of addressing gaps in protection for older persons but diverged on the process and forum for doing so. The debate over whether to prioritize a new treaty or to strengthen implementation of current instruments is likely to shape the upcoming intergovernmental negotiations in Geneva and the related work streams in New York and other UN bodies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ageing: High-level meeting - General Assembly, 79th session | United Nations","oneSentenceSummary","Delegates at a United Nations high-level meeting on aging affirmed momentum toward drafting a legally binding international instrument on the human rights of older persons, while some member states warned the process risks duplication, limited inclusivity and budget burdens if carried out only through the Human Rights Council.","taxTitle","United Nations","taxId",77382,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":56,"_72":56,"_73":56},6556437,"Experts and member states urge action on ageism, care systems, gender gaps and data as UN deliberates next steps",655,522000,1177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235796-8abcbc3504e635aa3e87673d8d802991&start=522&end=1177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235796-8abcbc3504e635aa3e87673d8d802991/thumbnail_522000.jpg","/articles/6556437/Experts-and-member-states-urge-action-on-ageism-care-systems-gender-gaps-and-data-as-UN-deliberates-next-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556437-f2cadfd9efc401d55de32f728a51c63f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771210706&Signature=hML2qlZhBglMSV8~iOgJfVj~Kdsf1aN-K~talr5547hrrhKcacVJynKtz-0skevGV5k-haqF9781KP6E1mjE2CZN2L3WOFJu77yVw3ChpI9iau9g3vEAd-xg6JjIKK1bgQ7cQ0xQWvNmjAyzBfqIxsjee7WJqYPtEKKzSqc9BtRXe0d62~ABky2W71l6NxWLHbshU2Xo9-TmaT0qR1PMBwq6FwqM5YySZ2M6s88M1qLaN5mLDKddYjV0lH-8h-LaZdrZmb1JXYVVG4H6O5sHOhWAts1uvg21CrY4aaOK~TGvWCttNNNqAFysqI9kz6ky5vO-hcva8hexxp4v3nLyUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senior UN officials, the independent expert on older persons'rights and civil society representatives used the UN high-level meeting to press for rights-based policies against ageism, expanded social protection and better data to guide decisions.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights told delegates the OEWG on Ageing had produced a \"wealth of evidence\" showing normative and protection gaps globally; she cited World Health Organization data that \"1 in 6 people over the age of 60 experience some form of abuse annually\" and warned underreporting likely makes that an underestimate. The independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons said the OEWG's work provided a solid basis for next steps and described a dedicated convention as \"the best protection\" to address protection gaps.

Civil-society speakers including representatives of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older Persons said enshrining rights in law is necessary to change narratives that treat older people primarily as care recipients rather than rights-bearing citizens.

Speakers from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) described system-level work: supporting implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, coordinating the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030), and participating in statistical efforts (the Titchfield Group on age-disaggregated statistics) to improve data collection and reporting.

Many Member States presented national measures illustrating a range of policy responses. Examples given in national statements included:

- Saudi Arabia described modernization efforts and services including home and virtual health care, lifelong learning, and priority service lines for older persons following a recent visit by the independent expert.

- Morocco described a national strategy through 2030 to expand social protection and lifelong learning and to enable older persons to remain in employment if they wish.

- Kyrgyzstan said it was starting a state program for active aging covering 2025'030 focused on health, dignity and participation.

- Mongolia reported amendments to national law and an action plan for healthy aging for 2025'028.

- Cuba, Mexico, Portugal, Uruguay and others described national laws, pension programs, care networks, and long-term-care strategies.

Speakers repeatedly stressed that aging is not gender neutral: several delegations and experts highlighted that older women face higher rates of poverty because of lifetime inequalities in wages, education and informal work, and urged gender-responsive measures in pensions and social protection.

Delegates also called for embedding aging across development frameworks including the upcoming World Social Summit and financing-for-development discussions, strengthening intergenerational solidarity and improving disaggregated data to inform policy. Several speakers urged attention to long-term care workforce shortages and the need for community- and home-based solutions.

Ending: The meeting closed with strong cross-cutting demands for better data, rights-based law and policy, targeted social protection for older women, and international cooperation to finance and implement reforms. Member states and UN agencies offered national examples and technical support but acknowledged implementation and financing challenges ahead.","UN officials, the independent expert and civil society speakers highlighted abuse, gendered poverty in older age, and gaps in care and social protection, while many countries described national programs; speakers urged data disaggregation and embedding ageing across development frameworks.","actionData","errors"]

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UN high-level meeting advances bid for a treaty on older persons’ rights; member states divided on process

Experts and member states urge action on ageism, care systems, gender gaps and data as UN deliberates next steps