The Region’s Commitment to the Rights of Older Persons

The Americas became the first region in the world to have a binding instrument to promote and protect the rights and freedoms of older persons. The adoption of the  Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons at the General Assembly of the OAS in June 2015, demonstrates once again the leadership of the region in the field of international law, setting a historical precedent and a benchmark for the work undertaken in other instances and regions for the protection of human rights.

Today, over 135 million people in the Americas are over 60 years old and are considered older persons, representing 14% of the total population. This number is growing, and it is estimated that about 80 million people will reach this age in the next 15 years, when nearly 2 in every 5 people in the region will be an older person.

In this context, the governments of the Americas have recognized the need to address the human rights of older persons, in order to take measures to eliminate potential obstacles to their effective exercise. Some particular considerations include the linkages between the right to life and dignity in old age; the right to independence and autonomy; the rights of people receiving long-term care, among other measures necessary to preserve this group’s physical, mental and social welfare and quality of life.

Thus the importance of this new inter-American instrument, which is intended to " promote, protect and ensure the recognition and the full enjoyment and exercise, on an equal basis, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of older persons, in order to contribute to their full inclusion, integration, and participation in society", as indicated in the document. 

During the signing of the Convention, OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro said that "this is a very important step for everyone. Our slogan of 'More rights for more people' is fully in the logic of the Convention, which reaffirms the hemispheric dimension of our work, in this case the commitment to ensure the full enjoyment of the rights of older people, taking into account their needs and specific requirements."

The signing of the Convention culminates a process involving years of negotiation, in which the Member States have worked closely with specialized bodies such as the OAS, through its Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Department of Social Inclusion, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), among others, as well as received contributions from civil society organizations. The regional interest in promoting an international treaty of this nature was reiterated on several occasions, notably by the Heads of State and Government at the V and VI Summit of the Americas (Trinidad and Tobago, 2009, and Colombia, 2012) and its approval represents an important step forward and a global example of the region’s commitment to human rights.

The new Inter-American Convention has been signed by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Uruguay and others are expected to join the list soon. To enter into force, it is necessary that at least two signatory countries ratify it.