2nd Meeting, 1st session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Older Persons (IGWG)

Good morning, Excellencies, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen. I declare open the 2nd meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Human Rights of Older Persons. This morning we will resume our general debate on the structure and guiding principles of a future legally binding instrument. Before we begin, I would like to remind all participants that this meeting is dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of the human rights of older persons. Political statements or statements with political implications unrelated to our mandate will not be tolerated. I kindly ask all delegations to keep their intervention focused on the issues before us. Thank you. Secondly, I really apologize for the circumstances of this configuration of the room. If there is something that I don't tolerate neither is the fact that someone is taking decisions without my consent, and this is one of them. And I can tell you that we'll rearrange the configuration as soon as possible. At the moment, it's too late to do it right now. But I mean, this is inconceivable what they have done with the NGOs confined in one corner. And of course, the prevalence is the member states, but I mean, you can see the empty center and all the NGOs in circumstances that really I don't like it. But I mean, I'm sorry about that. It's not going to happen again. And having said so, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel, and you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Good morning. Israel welcomes the opportunity to attend the first session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Human Rights— on the Human Rights of Older Persons and looks forward to taking part in the important work of the promotion and protection of the rights of older persons. In the past, Israel has taken an active part in the development of international human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons persons with disabilities. We therefore welcome this opportunity to actively and constructively participate in the process of negotiating a legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons. As can certainly be seen throughout the world in recent decades, along with the progress achieved in medicine and technology, there has been an increase in life expectancy which has led to a significant rise in the population of older persons across a broad spectrum of the third age. This increase has created new opportunities for this age group, but at the same time, it presents new challenges. Israel has implemented various programs to accommodate our growing population of older persons, including call centers for assistance with the exhaustion of rights and benefits, counseling service and guidance to promote economic resilience and well-being in both the physical and emotional sense. The future instrument should be clear, comprehensive, and contain functional and sufficiently flexible definition to allow their application across different national contexts, while maintaining consistency with the objectives and other human rights treaties. In our view, core principles that should be discussed include, first and foremost, equality, non-discrimination on the basis of age and ageism, the right of participation in aspects of society and decision-making processes affecting their lives, and inclusion. The discussion should also touch on the AI and digital gap that may affect a wide variety of fields, including digital services and access to information that impact the full enjoyment of rights by older persons. The future instrument should complement the existing international human rights framework while attending to normative and implementation gaps that have been identified or may emerge during the current process and avoid unnecessary repetition. It is important that the instrument promote a positive understanding of aging by recognizing the important and contributing part— contributing role of older persons to our societies. Israel also believes it is important to draft the future instrument through the meaningful participation of older persons through their representing organizations. The participation of relevant civil society organizations is vital for the relevance and efficacy of this instrument. Lastly, with respect to implementation monitoring, our view is that any discussion on monitoring mechanisms should be mindful of the resources required from treaty bodies as well as from reporting countries. taking into account existing reporting obligations. Mr. Chair, Israel looks forward to engaging in this dialogue and remains committed to contributing to the discussion. We hope that future discussion will be fruitful and remain non-politicized to advance this important subject matter. Thank you.

Thank you, distinguished representative of Israel. Israel, and I give you the floor to distinguished representative of the League of Arab States.

Thank you, Chair, and good morning to you all. Arab groups underscore its full cooperation and its support for the development of this binding legal instrument, which is important for supporting the rights of older persons. The Arab League participates through this endeavor through our strategy, which was adopted by the Arab Summit. I'm going to highlight number of important which are relevant to the upcoming instrument. We look forward to the development of social protection systems and aligning them with the new requirements of older persons and their families, reinforcing social security networks in the Arab world and building their capacities to deal with poor people in the rural areas and in urban centers, developing healthcare for the elderly and improving health programs while providing permanent training and specialization in medical, semi-medical sectors so that to support countries to provide the rights of older persons. Also align care systems relevant to older persons and building their capacities to ensure the dignity of older persons. Developing legislations in order to live up to the challenges and changes facing the Arab world and aligning them with international treaties. Chair, the Arab League wishes to have a mechanism, an umbrella mechanism that includes all regional networkers, and we are willing to contribute our wisdom and expertise in favor of this upcoming instrument, which is timely, particularly given— we lose the speaker every now and then— which serves persons with disabilities. The sound is very poor. We look for an important instrument. We lost the speaker again. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, distinguished representative of the League of Arab States. There was a problem with the microphone. I don't know if it is the problem of that specific place or in general, but I mean, I've been warned by the interpreters. Now I give the floor to distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. You have the floor. Representative of Saudi Arabia.

Good morning, Mr. Chair. Yeah, could you hear me? Please. Yes, yes. Okay, good. We would like to postpone our statement later today, if that's possible, please.

Okay. Thank you. We'll do that. If that's the case in the future, I would please recommend any delegations to go to the Secretariat and let them know if there is any change of the order. No problem now, I mean, for the future, please, if you could do so. And now I give the floor to distinguished representative of China. Thank you.

Thank you. My delegation, first of all, would like to express its appreciation to the Argentine delegation for the work and leadership. Older persons are an important group of rights holders. The 21st century is seeing rapid population aging, which is intertwined with human rights issues in unprecedented ways. It is of great significance, therefore, to effectively advance the protection of older persons' rights. The international community has made tireless efforts in this regard. As early as the 1950s, the protection of older persons' rights was placed on the UN agenda. Since the 1980s, documents such as the VDPA, the Madrid Political Declaration, and International Plan of Action on Aging, the UN Principles for Older Persons, have all explicitly opposed discrimination against older persons and guaranteed the realization of their human rights. In 2010, the UNGA adopted the resolution establishing the Working Group on Aging. Charting a way forward despite various challenges. Mr. Chair, China attaches great importance to older persons, having enacted the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Older Persons as early as 1996. The national strategy to address population aging is well underway. In the latest National Human Rights Action Plan, a dedicated chapter outlines older persons' right to equal participation and development, and sets out measures to combat age discrimination, improve care services, and promote inclusive enjoyment of development outcomes. China is committed to developing silver economy, ensuring high-quality life for older persons. The resolution on promoting accessibility by all proposed by China in the Human Rights Council is aimed at promoting the rights and interests of older persons, among others. Mr. Chair, China supports the work of this working group and is ready to participate constructively. At the same time, we would like to make the following points. Firstly, a legally binding instrument cannot be achieved overnight. A thorough consideration of national conditions would be necessary, as well as the consensus-building and prudent approach. China notes with appreciation in this regard your concept paper mentions the respect for national and cultural diversity. Secondly, as stipulated in its mandate, the Working Group is an intergovernmental and state-led process. The participation of stakeholders should serve the mandate of the Working Group and comply with relevant UN resolutions and rules of procedure, particularly Resolution 1996/31. Thirdly, the Working Group should fully incorporate the useful outcomes of existing international human rights instruments, and be consistent with existing international consensus, particularly when it comes to certain legal concepts and social development issues. The Chinese delegation will put forward specific views during the upcoming discussions. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, distinguished representative of China. Now I give the floor to distinguished representative of Andorra. You have the floor.

Many thanks, Chair. The Principality of Andorra welcomes the holding of this first substantive session of the Intergovernmental Working Group, and we'd like to take this opportunity to restate our commitment to the drafting of an internationally legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons. Longevity is one of the major achievements of our societies. However, Living longer doesn't guarantee in and of itself that you're living with dignity, autonomy, and full participation. Older persons still face ageism, discrimination, poverty, loneliness, violence, and abuse, as well as obstacles to accessing health care, justice, housing, social protection, and new technologies. The future instrument should start from a clear premise: Older persons are rights holders and not simply beneficiaries of assistance or protection. That is why Andorra believes that dignity, individual autonomy, equality, non-discrimination should be at the very heart of a future Convention. This needs to guarantee the right of older persons to take their own decisions, to receive the support that they need, and to participate fully in family life as well as social, economic, cultural, and political life. Life. The instrument needs to recognise, in addition, the diversity of older persons and adopt an intersectional approach. People age in a different fashion. Gender, disability, the economic situation, origin, where you live, or health conditions can also generate multiple and accumulating forms of discrimination. As to the architecture itself, we believe the text should include a clear definition of its purpose and scope, and general principles, states' obligations, substantive rights, and effective mechanisms in terms of implementation, follow-up, and accountability. Amongst the areas that require explicit protection, we should include independent living, inclusion in the community, legal capacity, free and informed consent, access to social health services, as well as long-term care and palliative care, social protection, accessibility, participation, access to justice, digital inclusion, and protection in the face of violence, abandonment, and abuse. Finally, the drafting process needs to be open, transparent, and accessible. Direct, effective participation, and meaningful participation of older persons in their diversity should not be limited to a one-off consultation. It needs to go through all the phases of negotiation, implementation, and follow-up of a future instrument. We're ready. to contribute constructively to this process to achieve an ambitious, clear, and implementable convention which will allow everybody to age with full respect of their rights, freedom, and dignity. Thank you.

Thank you, Principality of Andorra. Distinguished representative of Kuwait is not in the room, so I give the floor to distinguished representative of Italy. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. We align ourselves with statement delivered by the GCC countries. We attach great importance to issues of older persons as a main pillar in society development and partners to development process, given their participation in social cohesion and transfer of values across generations. This is based on Sharia, which underscores the respect of older persons and protection of their rights. On this basis, Kuwait continued developing its policies and laws by reinforcing health and social services and enshrining active aging in order to ensure the rights of older persons on equal footing, reinforcing their autonomy and their active participation in society. Given the demographic shifts globally and the increase of older persons, we see that Aging is related to development rights and is multidimensional. This requires adopting a comprehensive approach that shifts from care to empowerment, participation, and independence. The aim is to ensure that older persons enjoy their rights on equal footing with others while tapping into their expertise as participants in sustainable development and in having societies that are inclusive, and resilient. In this light, Kuwait stresses the importance of building on relevant international instruments, including UN Principles on Older Persons and Madrid International Aging Work Plan, and also its implementing for cycle outcomes in line with 2030 Sustainable Development, together with Doha Political Declaration of 2025. The aim is that no one is left behind. Chair Kuwait considers that a legally binding instrument on older persons is a precious opportunity to ensure the international protection for this category of people and closing loopholes in human rights systems. This should be based on comprehensive negotiations taking into account different legal systems and development priorities of various countries. In this light, we underscore that the instrument be based on the following points. First, enshrining a paradigm based on development and rights in order to empower older persons and ensure their participation in decision-making and policies relevant to their lives while enforcing active aging and silver economy. Secondly, keeping abreast with the digital development, ensuring— in order to ensure the access of older persons to digital services while using assistive technology. Secondly, ensuring that older persons are not subjected to violence, discrimination, and considering their rights with regards to disaster risk reduction policies. Fourthly, international cooperation exchange of expertise and data collection in a manner that develops policies based on facts and improving rights provided to older persons. In closing, we stay committed to participating actively in the negotiations while having a cumulative, gradual approach that takes into account the differences in national instruments. so that the instrument reinforces the dignity and independence of older persons and ensuring as well their participation so that we end up with having sustainable inclusive societies for the benefit of all. Thank you, Chair.

We now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Distinguished delegates. On the occasion of the first session of this Intergovernmental Working Group, Italy aligns with the statement by the EU and wishes to reaffirm its full support to the process of elaboration of a legally binding instrument on the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons. The willingness to support the process of elaboration of such a legislative instrument is firmly rooted both in Italy's involvement in regional and global cooperation about ageing issues, and in recent innovative developments in national policies. On the first side, Italy's contribution will take stock by the discussions that have taken place in the UNEP Standing Working Group on Ageing after the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration of Rome 2022, with particular reference to the work carried out within the Task Force for the drafting of the new Regional Implementation Strategy of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. In that context, many substantive issues have been discussed, the consideration of which may be of great importance in the identification of the gaps in international law that prevent older persons from fully enjoying their human rights. Among these, it is worth mentioning The fight against ageism and discrimination in light of the stereotypes that societies have about their older members. The importance of lifelong learning and skills development, also in face of the digital transformation that is sweeping through our world. The barriers to meaningful participation in work and community life, with particular reference to the importance of effective social safety nets. The persistent gender inequalities affecting in particular older women in various domains, such as work and economy, family care and health status. The increasing vulnerability of older people to the risks posed by climate change and armed conflicts in every region of the world. The importance of institutional and community-based care and support systems. Systems that promote autonomy, accessibility, independent living and social inclusion, while ensuring respect for the dignity, will and preferences of older persons. As you all know, Italy is at the forefront of the demographic transition. For this reason, our country has progressively adopted a complex set of new policies and measures. The aim of these reforms is the design of a coherent, strategy based on the provision of a National Plan on Active Ageing and a National Plan on Long-Term Care, complemented by regional and local plans. The elaboration of the plans has been carried out through an ongoing dialogue with civil society organizations, NGOs, and social partners. Italy will make this experience available to the process of elaboration of a legal binding instrument, in the belief that the cultural paradigm shift required by the transition to a human rights-based approach in these matters should start from a transparent process of international cooperation and good practices exchange. Thank you.

Thank you, distinguished representative of Italy. Now I give you the floor, distinguished representative of New Zealand. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. New Zealand welcomes the establishment of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons. We join others in congratulating the Chair on your appointment and in thanking you for circulating the recent Food for Thought paper. New Zealand is committed to protecting and promoting the rights of older persons, and we look forward to participating in this process to develop an effective instrument. New Zealand is committed to ensuring that the outcome of this Working Group provides a high standard for protecting the human rights of older persons. As many others have mentioned already, it is critical that the outcome is compatible with existing international human rights frameworks. The outcome should not result in a weakening of existing human rights standards, particularly with regard to the rights of women and girls and the rights of persons with disabilities. Institutional and reporting arrangements are important for ensuring implementation of human rights obligations. but need to be sensitive to members' resourcing capacities and not duplicative of arrangements exist— in existing human rights conventions. We look forward to engaging constructively on the development of this new instrument. Thank you.

Thank you, distinguished representative of New Zealand. I give the floor to distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chairman. At the outset, we would like to align with the statement by the Gulf Cooperation Council. We welcome the holding of this first session of the working group and commend the efforts of the Office Thank you, Chairperson. I would like to thank the Office of the High Commissioner in facilitating this meeting. We hope it will be fruitful under your wise guidance. Chairperson, Saudi Arabia reiterates its support to the work underway to develop an international legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons. Normative framework to overcome the existing gaps and guarantee that older people may fully enjoy their rights. We were among the first countries to support the development of an international legally binding instrument to promote and protect the rights of older persons. Saudi Arabia's focus Thank you. Our emphasis on the rights of older persons arises from the values that are at the heart of our kingdom, respect for older persons and their rights in every respect. Our basic law guarantees the rights of citizens and their families if they suffer illness or disability and supports a social security system. Our efforts led to the development of a law on the rights and care of older persons. We believe that the instrument must be based on the human rights-based approach. Including all rights, in keeping with the international commitments on human rights. Protection of the human dignity of older persons must be the cornerstone of the international instrument. This arises from the basic values of our kingdom. Saudi Arabia will make every effort to support the process to develop an international legally binding instrument on the basis of a process involving all members, setting aside all elements that are not part of international consensus and with a focus on the international obligations of member states. In conclusion, we emphasize the importance of good practice and national legislations that support the rights of older persons. I thank you.

Distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia, now I give the floor to distinguished representative of Bahrain, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chairperson. We align with the statement made by the Gulf Cooperation Council and we welcome your presidency of this group charged with developing an international legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons and wish you every success in your endeavors. This session is a milestone in addressing gaps in the protection of older persons. We reiterate the importance of An approach based on human dignity, equality, non-discrimination, and protection from violence, neglect, and exploitation of older persons with a focus on health, healthcare, and social protection. We recognize the importance of this question and have done so for a long time, namely The importance of providing older persons with all forms of protection. We have adopted a specific law on the protection of older persons as members of society and reiterate the importance of ensuring a realistic instrument that can be implemented. Taking into account cultural and legal diversities of countries, we hope to see a negotiating process based on cooperation, openness, and we hope that this will be an important addition to the international human rights system. I thank you.

Thank you, distinguished representative. Thank you for your contribution and your support. Now I give the floor to distinguished representative of Peru.

Thank you, Chairperson. Peru welcomes this first substantive session of the IGWG and looks forward to contributing constructively. This is of great importance for strengthening international protection for Peru. The rights of older persons are of particular importance. They are not only rights holders but also bear experience, memory, knowledge, and contribute to families, communities, and national identity. The future legally binding instrument we believe must be based on a fundamental premise. Becoming older cannot mean losing rights, dignity, participation, autonomy. It must contribute to combating ageism and fully recognize older persons as full stakeholders in society. Peru believes that this process must be inclusive, participatory, and based on consensus, taking into account different national and regional realities. As a state party to the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of Older Persons, our country in particular recognizes accumulated regional experience and believes that this can greatly contribute to the global process. In the national sphere, our national multi-sectoral process to 2030 for older persons seeks to overcome structural age discrimination and ensure full exercise of rights, quality of life, autonomy with 5 key objectives to ensure healthy aging, social protection, education, and social and political participation. Recognizing that older persons are a diverse group with particular vulnerabilities, but especially women, indigenous persons, those in rural areas, and persons with disabilities. Finally, we reaffirm our readiness to participate actively in this process and contribute to building an ambitious, effective instrument that recognizes different experiences and contributes to building societies where no one is left behind because of age. I thank you.

Muchas gracias. I thank Peru and I call on Venezuela. You have the floor.

Gracias. Thank you, Chairperson. Venezuela Welcome to the holding of this first session of the IGWG on the human rights of older persons and reiterates its commitment to the promotion and protection of their rights. For Venezuela, older persons may not be seen only as subjects of protection but rather as full rights holders. Thus, states must promote comprehensive public policies that develop our societies and protect historic memory, transmission of knowledge, and families and communities, ensuring a decent, active, independent, participatory life based on equality, solidarity, and social justice and inclusion. This is enshrined in our constitution, which recognizes the rights of older persons to social protection, inclusion, and full protection. The Social Security Law and other laws on healthy aging reiterate this. We have initiatives such as Older Persons Venezuela and Grandparents of the Nation to ensure social protection, healthcare, community participation, full inclusion inclusion of older persons. However, this progress— with this progress, we should point out that the unilateral coercive measures greatly undermine our capacity to ensure the full enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights, particularly of the most vulnerable sectors, including older persons. These measures are an obstacle to financial resources, medicines, technologies, food and essential inputs and harm the implementation of public policies and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Chairperson, it is essential that this Working Group carry out its mandate through transparent, inclusive, genuine intergovernmental dialogue that respects state sovereignty, national diversity, and different levels of economic, social, and cultural development on the basis of universality, indivisibility, interdependence, and interrelatedness of all human rights and the existing legal international framework with the right to protection, strengthening promotion, and guaranteeing the human rights of older persons, achieving broad consensus respecting all countries' national realities and priorities. Venezuela is actively participating in the construction spirit, and we look forward to a process that provides a more effective protection for human rights of older persons, reaffirming dignity, autonomy, participation, and inclusion in our societies. I thank you.

Muchas gracias, señora Orbeta. I thank Venezuela and would like to point out that when the international chains switch off their cameras, the need to support Venezuela in this tragedy does not switch off, and we recognize this situation. There are many countries present here, and we, we point to that. Representative of Organization of Islamic Cooperation, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair Rapporteur, we welcome the convening of the first substantive session of this Intergovernmental Working Group and congratulate you on your election as the Chair Rapporteur. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation reaffirms its commitment to promoting and protecting the rights, dignity, and well-being of older persons. The OIC Strategy on the Elderly, adopted in 2019, provides a comprehensive framework for addressing the social, economic, health, and cultural dimensions of aging while promoting the rights, autonomy, participation and well-being of older persons across the OIC region. Nevertheless, we recognize that population aging is becoming an increasingly important policy issue across all regions of the world. Demographic changes, increasing life expectancy and evolving social structures require strengthened efforts to ensure that older persons continue to enjoy their human rights on an equal basis with others, including in situations where they may require varying levels of support and care. We strongly believe that dependency should never diminish the inherent dignity, autonomy, or legal recognition of older persons, who remain rights holders and should continue to participate actively in decisions affecting their lives. In many OIC member states, families remain the primary source of care and support for older persons. Multigenerational households continue to play an important role in ensuring the well-being, social inclusion, and protection of older persons. The OIC recognizes the important contribution of family-based care systems, which are rooted in culture and religious values, emphasizing respect, solidarity, and compassion towards older persons. At the same time, family support should be complemented by provide adequate public services, social protection mechanisms and legal safeguards to ensure that dependency does not compromise autonomy, dignity or human rights. Mr. Chair, Rapporteur, we emphasize that the future legally binding instrument must be grounded in dignity and rights and coherent with the existing human rights instruments. It should avoid controversial concepts which have no basis or do not enjoy consensus internationally. law. The overarching goal should be to achieve a consensus among Member States. Any duplication should be avoided as far as possible. In concluding, the OIC remains committed to cooperating with the United Nations and other international partners to advance the autonomy, dignity and human rights of older persons, and to ensure that no older person is left behind. I thank you.

Muchas gracias. Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Santa Sede. The Holy See.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Holy See thanks you and the Bureau for the preparation of this first session and for the Food for Thought paper, a useful basis for our consideration of the programme of work. My delegation's longstanding view that the priority lies in implementing existing obligations rather than elaborating a new instrument, is well known in New York and Geneva. With the Council having decided to open this process, however, the Holy See engages with it constructively and in good faith, in the hope that it will bring a real and tangible benefit to older persons. In that spirit, my delegation offers 3 initial observations. First, on method, it is our view that older persons already hold every human right, The core international human rights treaties bind states to guarantee all rights to everyone without distinction. This working group will be most credible where it roots each right in the existing international human rights framework, a positive translation as your working paper puts it, and avoids duplicating protections already guaranteed elsewhere. Second, on the human person, the dignity of older persons does not diminish with age. With frailty, or when a person ceases to be economically productive. As Pope Leo XIV has recently affirmed, older persons are a gift, a blessing to be welcomed, and a longer life is one of the signs of hope in our time. Far from being a burden, they are a resource, bearers of wisdom, memory, and experience, and a living bond between the generations. And an instrument worthy of them should make room for their continued participation in the life of society not treat them only as recipients of protection. Third, on the family, the Universal Declaration recognises the family as the natural and fundamental group unit of society entitled to protection by society and the state. In much of the world, it is within the family that the care and the rights of older persons are protected and realised, sustained by informal carers who themselves also deserve support. An effective instrument must recognize the differing realities of older persons across regions and cultures and strengthen the family and the community rather than displace them. The Holy See stands ready to contribute to this work so that its outcome may truly serve the dignity and the rights of older persons. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the Holy See.

Mr. Chair Rapporteur, Excellencies, Rwanda warmly welcomes the convening of the first session of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group. Aging in Rwanda is becoming more visible as life expectancy has increased over the last decades to almost 70 years, driven by stronger health systems, disease control, improved sanitation, and socioeconomic gains. While our population remains predominantly young, this increase in longevity signals a demographic shift that presents both opportunities and responsibilities, including greater investment in the special needs of older persons. Through a community-based approach, particular attention is given to older survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, many of whom are the sole survivors in their families and live with trauma and disability. In Rwanda, respect for older persons is deeply anchored in our cultural values and reinforced by concrete legal and policy measures. In 2021, we adopted the National Older Persons Policy and are implementing it to ensure coordinated government action for the development and delivery of services for older persons. Our policy is grounded in Rwanda's broader legal framework, including the constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination, and sectoral and strategies that promote the human rights of older persons. At the continental level, Rwanda has ratified the African Union Protocol on Older Persons, formally committing to the protocol's standards and obligations to protect and promote the rights, dignity, and well-being of older persons. In conclusion, Rwanda supports an inclusive negotiation process that meaningfully engages older persons and their representative organizations at every stage, with a view to delivering an instrument grounded in equality and non-discrimination, inclusive participation, and intergenerational solidarity. Such an instrument should translate existing human rights into clear protections for older persons as rights holders and drive progress in advancing their inherent dignity and rights across generations. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, distinguished representative of Rwanda. I give the floor to distinguished representative of Unitar.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Congratulations on your election, and we wish you every success in your role. The United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UNITAR, is keen to support this pivotal process on drafting the UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. We are aware of several challenges. That may arise throughout multilateral negotiation process, including staff turnover, lack of awareness of previous efforts, and expertise-related challenges. Meanwhile, we see valuable opportunities to build on the sustained efforts of a broad range of stakeholders by translating shared commitments into feasible actions while strengthening institutional capacity and drawing on lessons learned, resources, and experience. In this regard, UNITAR remains at your disposal to design and deliver learning initiatives that can complement the negotiation process and build the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to advance the effective promotion and protection of other persons' human rights. As negotiations begin, We wish to emphasize the importance of ensuring that the future convention includes provisions on research and lifelong learning for older persons to empower them to remain active contributors and architects of their own future while fostering intergenerational dialogue. Mainstreaming knowledge in support of this objective contributes to transforming discriminatory social institutions, laws, and practices into meaningful improvements in the lives of older persons and society as a whole. UNITAR stands ready to support this process and explore possible synergies to promote the free, active, and meaningful participation of older persons. We take this opportunity to commend the efforts of our colleagues from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for organizing this session. Thank you very much.

Thank you, distinguished representative of UNITAR. I give the floor to distinguished representative of UNECE.

Thank you, Chair. I have the honour to take the floor on behalf of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and also on behalf of the United Nations Interagency Group on Ageing. UNECE has long supported member states in responding to population ageing through policy dialogue, regional cooperation and follow-up to the Madrid International Plan of Action on Aging. In the UNECE region, the regional implementation strategy, which member states are currently updating, provides an important framework for translating MIPA commitments into national action. Speaking also on behalf of IAGA, we welcome the convening of the first session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Older Persons. This is an important moment for the international community. It builds on decades of intergovernmental work including the outcomes of the Second World Assembly on Ageing, the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, the United Nations Principles for Older Persons, the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, the extensive deliberations of the General Assembly Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing, the Doha Political Declaration of the Second World Summit for Social Development, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The United Nations system approaches this process from a clear starting point. Older persons are full rights holders entitled to the equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms without discrimination on the basis of age. A draft international legally binding instrument should promote, protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by older persons. It should clarify how existing human rights obligations apply in older age, address normative gaps, and provide specific safeguards at the international level. A future international instrument should provide a framework that enables States to address both longstanding and emerging barriers to the full enjoyment of human rights by older persons. In doing so, the draft instrument should not lower, reinterpret, or duplicate existing human rights standards. Rather, it should strengthen legal clarity, coherence, and accountability, while enabling the existing human rights system to better consider the specific situations of older persons. For our group, several principles are central. First, the instrument should be grounded in equality and nondiscrimination, with attention to intersecting and compounding forms of discrimination that may affect older persons. Second, it should recognize older persons not only as recipients of care, but also as contributors to their families, communities, economies, cultures, and sustainable development. Third, the instrument can acknowledge that experiences in later life may be shaped by cumulative inequalities and barriers across the life course, while maintaining a clear and dedicated focus on the human rights of older persons. Fourth, it should ensure the full, effective, representative, and meaningful participation of older persons at all stages of decision-making. Fifth, implementation should be supported by stronger data collection and analysis, with an emphasis on disaggregation by age, sex, and other factors. We encourage member states to make full use of the work already undertaken through regional processes, previous intergovernmental declarations, existing instruments, and above all, the lived experience of older persons themselves. Thank you.

Thank you, distinguished representative of UNICEF. Now I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of Slovenia, Human Rights Ombudsman.

Thank you, Chair, for this opportunity to contribute to the discussion. The Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia welcomes the start of the drafting process for a new legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons. We are happy to be here and support this process. While fully endorsing the statements delivered by Ganri and Einri later on, I would like to use this opportunity to focus on one specific point which in our view should guide the architecture of the future instruments. Its overarching framework should be explicitly human rights-based and should affirm older persons as full rights holders. This may sound self-evident for a human rights instrument. However, approaches concerning older persons can still sometimes remain framed primarily through needs, protection, care, welfare, or assumptions of inherent vulnerability, rather than through rights, autonomy, and accountability. A clear shift is needed away from thinking about old age in terms of deficits, that creates needs towards a more comprehensive rights-based approach to ageing. A human rights-based approach requires that older persons in all their diversity are recognised throughout the instrument as full and equal holders of rights, entitled to the equal enjoyment of all human rights. They should not be primarily framed as passive recipients of care and protection, but as persons with autonomy and agency, whose dignity, will and preferences must be respected. States, in turn, must clearly be recognized as duty bearers. In such an approach, support, care and protection should enable older persons to exercise their rights on an equal basis with others, in ways that uphold dignity, equality and non-discrimination, autonomy, participation, choice and control. To make this approach operational, the instrument should clarify how human rights are to be and implemented in older age and set out clear state obligations, implementation measures, monitoring, accountability, and access to effective remedies. In this respect, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities offers an important example. It contributed to a decisive shift away from medical and welfare-based approaches towards a human rights framework centered on dignity, autonomy, equality, participation, accessibility, flexibility, support independent living, and accountability. The future instrument can draw inspiration from this experience while fully recognizing the specific realities of older age. Many disadvantages experienced in older age are produced or reinforced by ageism, stereotypes, institutional practices, inaccessible environments, poverty, isolation, digital exclusion, exclusion, and lack of support. This understanding of the social and structural barriers affecting the enjoyment of rights of older age should be reflected in enforceable standards and concrete state responsibilities. And finally, a human rights-based approach also requires the meaningful participation of older persons and their respective or representative organizations, not only as a principle but as a part of the method by which the instrument is developed implemented and monitored. Thank you.

Thank you. Now we give the floor to the distinguished representative from Guatemala from the Ombudsman's Office. You have the floor.

Chairperson, the Human Rights Institution of Guatemala, through sections, thanks to the first constitutional mandate conferred on it in terms of protecting fundamental freedoms and rights of older persons has seen that this sector of the population is exposed to many situations that are exclusive and discriminatory. It limits their access to their substantive rights linked to the right to health, social services, and so full social inclusion. Given this scenario. We have been participating constantly in the Gannery meetings, the aim being to join efforts to safeguard the rights of this sector of the population, older persons. That is why we firmly support the adoption of a legally binding instrument We're absolutely convinced that through a universal convention on the protection of the human rights of older persons, we'll be able to overcome critical aspects which cause systemic violence because of aging and that we can have rapid responses. We have this structural ageism and this needs to be overcome. It also allows us to promote new models of comprehensive care, bringing about a paradigm shift. So it is not just them being beneficiaries. Many public policies have been seen in terms of medical assistance, which is simply welfare-based rather than rights-based, based on age. And this has led to marginalization of the workforce, digital access, justice and inclusion, and in emergency crises they're affected. We need to also address the demographic reality. The world is getting older very quickly, and given this progress that we're seeing mandated by the United Nations, I would urge governments, member states to actively participate in the Working Group. Including the highest protection standards, therefore ensuring that there will be a proper process including civil society. For many years, civil society has been very present and they need to continue so that their voices, their experiences and realities can be properly reflected in the content of a convention. Naturally, The international community needs to recognize the rights of older persons. They are not just a benefit for an isolated group. No, it means that we're ensuring a standard of dignity and everybody is entitled to that as we age. Let me stress that as a national human rights instrument, it is up to us to be involved in the negotiating process actively and also in terms of implementation and monitoring its implementation to ensure that international frameworks become tangible realities running to the benefit of older persons. Many thanks.

Representative of Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.

Mr. Chairperson, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, GANRI, comprising 119 NHRIs, commenced the beginning of the drafting process of the new legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons. The ultimate objective of the new instrument must be to enhance the situation and respect, protect, fulfill and promote the rights of older persons. GUNRI considers that it should be guided by the principles of non-discrimination, equality, and dignity, and address a shift from predominantly welfare and protection-oriented approaches towards a human rights-based approach that recognizes older persons as equal and active rights holders. The starting point is recognizing that older persons face systemic human rights challenges, due to ageism in its internalised, interpersonal and institutional dimensions, all compounded by cumulative effects of inequalities, including those resulting from intersecting forms of discrimination. The LBI framework must recognise and value the contributions of older persons to society, population ageing, the feminisation of ageing and newly emerging human rights challenges including digitalization, artificial intelligence, armed conflicts, emergencies, and climate change. The LBI should also be consistent with and build upon the existing, albeit fragmented, related international and regional human rights frameworks and fill in their protection gaps. Finally, GANRI calls on the Working Group to ensure that the drafting process for the LBI is inclusive, transparent, and credible by recognizing and meaningfully engaging older persons, NHRI, as monitoring and non-judicial mechanisms, as well as civil society. Their participation should extend beyond the delivery for formal statements during sessions to include meaningful opportunities to shape the text of the LBI and contribute throughout the intersessional periods. Ganri further calls on states to provide NHRI with the necessary support and resources to facilitate such engagement. NHRI stands ready to support such consultations at the national and regional levels, as well as to participate in Intergovernmental Working Group sessions, including future panels held as part of these sessions. Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.

Thank you, distinguished representative of CANRI. Now I give the floor to distinguished representative of German Institute for Human Rights. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor. Distinguished delegates and colleagues, we fully endorse the joint statements by Gunri and Henry, which will be presented shortly. The German Institute for Human Rights, Germany's national human rights institution, is pleased to support the IGWG. We welcome the opportunity to be an active partner throughout the entire process and particularly in the first substantive meeting, as one of the 12 participating national human rights institutions here in person. 24 national human rights institutions contributed to the call for submission, and many more national human rights institutions have been active for many years, sharing their expertise and practical examples. The German Institute for Human Rights has participated in the open-ended working group aging from the beginning, and we regret that no National Human Rights Institution will be able to speak as an expert in this field during the week's first session. NHRIs are a bridge between the UN and the human rights framework and the national level, including government, civil society, and older persons. They are a resource which should also be used. However, I would also like to note that the German Institute for Human Rights in particular very much welcomes the inclusion of older persons as speakers in the panel discussions. This is an extremely positive approach to ensure that our discussion is relevant. Older people remain largely invisible within the current fragmented human rights framework, and their rights are only partially addressed. This is why the outcome of the Working Group is essential for the protection of human rights of older persons today and the next generations of older persons. In this context, however, I must also mention that it was very difficult for many older people to prepare adequately, as all the documents were made available very late. That is why we also have to ensure the best possible protection of older persons worldwide, to include older people in all these preparations. I would also like to raise awareness with member states that it might be a good idea to include older persons and human rights experts into their national delegations. We look forward to contributing to the development of a comprehensive, inclusive, legally binding instrument that reaffirms that older persons are rights holders on an equal footing and takes into account existing human rights frameworks. Thank you. Frameworks. As it was said a couple of times, we are not starting from scratch. Furthermore, this legally binding instrument also offers us the opportunity to address issues that have not yet been addressed in other conventions, such as ageism, age discrimination, intersectional discrimination, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and the impact of climate change, as well as armed conflict. on the daily lived realities of older people. I can assure you that the German Institute for Human Rights is ready to support this process. I thank you.

Thank you, distinguished representative of the German Institute for Human Rights. I would like to extend Our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Claudia Mahler. I want to really express my gratitude. You are the former independent expert on enjoyment of all human rights by older persons. Mr. Mahler, thank you for your insightful remarks and, above all, for your tireless dedication and unwavering commitment through your mandate. Your leadership, expertise, and steadfast advocacy have made a lasting contribution to advancing the rights of older persons and have helped shape the work that we continue today. Thank you so much. Now I'll give the floor for— I mean, the National Center for Human Rights You have the floor.

Thank you, Chairperson. We'd like to start by expressing how much we welcome the holding of this first session and thank the Chairperson and the Office of the High Commissioner for all the efforts that they've deployed And we'd like to also thank you for extending an invitation to human rights institutions so that their voice can be heard in this work. These institutions pay a real positive contribution, further strengthening the efforts made to attain an internationally legally binding instrument which will alleviate the suffering of older persons because as they become older, we feel that they— We also believe that together we can draft a binding text, legally binding text, that will strengthen and promote the human rights of older persons. It's an instrument that doubtless will have a positive impact on the quality of life of these people. Thank you. Let me start by addressing some of the efforts deployed in Jordan via our National Human Rights Institution. It was a real privilege to be able to contribute to the efforts made nationally to strengthen the rights of older persons, as well as to strengthen human rights. Within that general group, of course, these are the most vulnerable, and we are determined to make our contribution during our work over the next few days as well, so that together we will be able to put to your kind attention the recommendations that have been drafted at national level. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate from the National Center for Human Rights in Jordan, and now I give the floor to the National Human Rights Commission of South Korea to make a joint statement on behalf of a group of national commissions. Please, South Korea.

Honorable Chair, Excellencies, I am speaking on behalf of Asia-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions. A network of 26 NHRI across Asia-Pacific. This statement reflects the collective views of APF members during the, the Regional Call for Action on the Rights of Older Persons adopted in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in June 2025, and the 2023 Manila Call for Action on Strengthening the Advocacy of NHRI in the Asia-Pacific region for an International Framework on the Human Rights of Older Persons. We welcome the commencement of— to this process and thank the Chair for the opportunity to contribute. The Asia-Pacific is a home of more than half of the world's population and also the fastest aging region in the world. While experiences of older persons in different countries of the region are diverse, they face similar barriers to achieving equalities and social justice, such as ageism, age discrimination, gender inequality, violence, abuse, and neglect. Which remain widespread and consistently documented in research and monitoring of NHRI and civil society. Intersectional discrimination disproportionately affects older persons, particularly women, persons with disabilities, LGBTI persons, migrants, indigenous people, and other marginalized groups. Moreover, in the region affected by ongoing armed conflict and humanitarian crisis, older persons face heightened risk of displacements, exclusion from humanitarian assistance, and barriers to accessing essential health and social services, underscoring the urgent need for stronger international protection. To effectively address this reality, we need comprehensive, sustainable international framework for the protection and promotion of the human rights of older persons. The LVI must fulfill that vital role and should build upon build on the foundation of existing human rights standards rather than repeating or weakening them. The LBI must address the systematic challenges such as protection from the violence and neglect obvious arising from the armed conflict and include guarantees of autonomy, dignity, and equality through an intersectional approach and access to essential services. Furthermore, the LBI should cover emerging issues such as climate change and digitalization. Having effective monitoring and implementation procedures at both international and national levels is crucial, with NHRI or other national bodies acting as monitoring mechanisms. The LBI must serve as a timely protection mechanism that responds to the lived experience of older persons. This historic process will only be achieved through the meaningful participation of older persons, civil society, and NHRI. The NHRIs across our region stand ready to offer cooperation and contribution to this endeavor. Thank you.

I thank the National Human Rights Commission of South Korea, and now I give the floor to the Swedish Institute for Human Rights to make a joint statement.

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and colleagues, I'm delivering this statement on behalf of ENRI, the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, representing 51 NHRI across Europe. We welcome this first substantive session of the Intergovernmental Working Group and the start of the drafting process for a new legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons. We commend the Chair and the Secretariat on the work undertaken so far. ENRI fully aligns itself with the input submitted by the— by GANRI on behalf of NHRI worldwide and wishes to reiterate its core messages. The new instrument must be transformative. It should mark a shift from welfare and protection-oriented approaches towards a human rights-based approach that recognizes and strengthens the dignity, autonomy, independence, and agency of older persons as full rights holders. It must squarely address ageism in its internalized, personal, institutional dimensions, and the cumulative effect of inequalities experienced across the life course. The instrument must build upon existing international and regional human rights frameworks, while closing protection gaps and applying an intersectional approach, in particular for older women, older persons with disabilities, and other groups facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. From a European perspective, Enri recalls that more than 40 states, including a large number of European states, sponsored Human Rights Council Resolution 5813, which is a clear signal of regional commitment. The revised European Social Charter, the Council of Europe recommendation on the rights of older persons from 2014, provide a valuable foundation, yet the latter is non-binding and they are insufficient to close existing protection gaps. The evidence is stark. 1 in 3 people in Europe reports having been a target of ageism, a phenomenon that remains widespread and deeply rooted across the region. 42% of older persons in Europe report experiencing age discrimination, with ageism peaking in the workplace. ENRI, through its dedicated working group on the human rights of older persons and its 2025 report developed jointly with Age Platform Europe and Equinet, stands ready to bring this European evidence base to the work of the Intergovernmental Working Group. Finally, for this process to be credible, the meaningful, full, and equal participation of older persons, their representative organisations, civil society, and NHRI must be guaranteed throughout. ENRI and its members stand ready to contribute to this process at the national, regional, and international levels. Thank you, Chair.

I'd like to thank you for your statement. Now I'd like to give the floor to the Guatemalan Ombudsman's Office to make a statement, a joint statement for a range of human rights institutions.

Chairperson or Secretary. National Human Rights Institutions in the American continent is the national network belonging to GANRAIN. We welcome the opportunity to take part in this intergovernmental working group. This statement is made by the National Human Rights Institution of Guatemala as coordinator of our working group on aging, bringing together institutions across our region. In 2026, we stated the need to strengthen the international framework for protecting the rights of older persons, and we also said we needed to move towards a legally binding international instrument within the United Nations. Shared experience, experience that our institutions have had, have shown that despite different national contexts, The challenges facing older persons are common across the region, inequality gaps particularly, and they are really visible when people get older because of disadvantages that have been accumulated throughout their lives. Given this, national human rights institutions in the Americas are trying to promote measures to combat ageism digital exclusion, abandonment, and structural violence. Despite that, these initiatives simply confirm the fact that we need to have an international framework harmonizing the protection of these rights. Our region has been a pioneer in this regard. However, the experience also shows that there are important challenges that remain to ensure that there is homogeneous protection Also, the need to mainstream additional rights such as food security, sexual and reproductive rights, and the right to die with dignity. Older persons are still facing discrimination, poverty, and barriers to access to health care and justice. These are situations which are getting worse unless you adopt intersectional approach. That is why we believe that the time has come to adopt an international convention within the UN to ensure their comprehensive protection and autonomy. National human rights institutions play a fundamental role in monitoring, formulating recommendations to states, as well as supporting victims. We're called upon to be key actors both in negotiating a future convention and its subsequent implementation. A respectful call to States to keep the political momentum going and make real decisive moves to adopt such a convention. And we'd like to restate our readiness to continue to contribute to building societies in which everyone can age with dignity, equality, and autonomy. Many thanks.

Muchas gracias. Thank you. In order of Malta, Malta, you have the floor.

Mr. Chair, Excellency, the Sovereign Order of Malta thanks the working group and welcomes it as a solid and constructive basis for these negotiations. We particularly commend the emphasis on the full legal capacity of older persons as well as autonomy. as preconditions for the real enjoyment of all their rights, and its culturally grounded approach which respects national diversity while anchoring these guarantees in universal standards. The Order of Malta, through its medical-social activities in 120 countries, translates this principle into daily practice: home visits, meals, and dementia care. We run numerous nursing homes and and hospices alongside frontline outreach during crises, including conflict situations and humanitarian settings. Of concern is also heat waves that increasingly endanger older persons living alone or without access to cooling systems. On this basis, we would like to raise 4 main issues we believe the Working Group should consider and address. First, the climate change aspect should be integrated into this negotiation process from the outset, not treated as a peripheral concern, as it affects the enjoyment of the right to life, health, and adequate standards of living for everyone, and older persons are among those most severely affected. Second, we recommend that the instrument explicitly recognize the aspect of their own culture and traditions, and in particular the capacity to freely practice their own faith or religion. In the Chair's Food for Thought paper, under point 5, discrimination, we would propose inserting a reference to ethnic and religious minorities who also face specific challenges. Third, we underline that artificial intelligence and digital systems can meaningfully improve older person access to healthcare and public services, realizing that it requires digital inclusion and digital literacy. However, AI also poses serious challenges and must always be used for the benefit of mankind and respect of the inherent human dignity, as His Holiness Pope Leo XIV mentioned in his encyclical Magnificat Humanitas. Fourth, all the persons must be properly reflected in official statistics. We recall that certain organizations did not collect certain data until recently on women over This illustrates how age thresholds in data collection can render older persons invisible in policymaking. This instrument should require disaggregated data by age without upper limit. Once again, we thank the Working Group and look forward to continued engagement with all stakeholders.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Sovereign Order of Malta. And now I give the floor to Amnesty International, followed by the German Federal Working Group of Senior Citizens' Organizations.

Distinguished Chairperson, distinguished delegates, Amnesty International would like to express its strong support for the creation of a legally binding instrument that will address gaps in the protection of older persons' rights, and we welcome the opening of this first substantive session of the Intergovernmental Working Group. We support the forthcoming statement by GAROP. Alongside representative organizations of older persons and other human rights organizations, Amnesty International has repeatedly documented how the rights of older persons are overlooked, under-enforced, and poorly understood. A legally binding instrument would mark an essential shift away from decades of neglect. Amnesty International proposes that the treaty reaffirm the application of all human rights to older persons, but also specify how these general obligations of rights apply to situations commonly or disproportionately experienced by older persons. The treaty should be innovative, consolidating, but also building on existing standards developed at the international and regional levels, while reaffirming and further developing concepts to address distinct patterns of discrimination against older persons, thereby clarifying— providing clarity to states. The treaty should be built on several core principles, including: first, a respect for the inherent dignity, autonomy, and independence of older persons; second, equality and non-discrimination. The treaty should recognize ageism as a widespread phenomenon that leads to discrimination and include a general guarantee of both substantive and transformative equality; third, the right to be free from torture and other ill-treatment, violence, abuse, and neglect; Fourth, intersectionality and diversity. The treaty should reference the diversity of older persons and address issues of intersectional discrimination, including on the basis of gender, disability, ethnicity, or other status. Fifth, full and meaningful participation of older persons in society. The drafting process itself should involve the meaningful participation of older persons, enshrining the principle of nothing about us without us. A rights-based approach can only be effective if it is grounded in the lived experience of older persons. Finally, the treaty must be legally binding and include innovative and effective monitoring procedures building on existing procedures. The treaty must ensure effective remedy where national justice mechanisms have failed. Remedies must be accessible to all older persons, including those with disabilities, limited literacy, or those without access to digital technology. This Working Group is a historic opportunity to move beyond documenting violations of the rights of older persons and towards a legally binding instrument that will address gaps in the protection of their rights. At Amnesty International, we look forward to a process that remains open and inclusive, ensuring that older persons are recognized as rights holders and partners at every stage. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Amnesty International, and I now give the floor to the German Federal Working Group of Senior Citizens' Organizations, followed by Human Rights Watch.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm speaking on behalf of BAGSO, the German National Association of Senior Citizens' Organizations, and Age Platform Europe, the largest Regional Network of and for Older Persons. BACSO and AGE align themselves with the forthcoming statement by GAROP. This first session of the Intergovernmental Working Group marks the beginning of an important new phase in our shared efforts to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older persons. It is the opportunity to build on years of dialogue, evidence and advocacy, and to lay the foundations for a legally binding international instrument that addresses the realities older persons face today and in the future. Speaking as an older woman who has advocated for such an instrument for more than a decade, I'm reminded that Progress is possible when there is the political will to achieve it. During my lifetime, I have witnessed profound social changes that many once thought impossible. These experiences remind us that societies evolve and that legal frameworks must keep pace with these changes. Today, we have the opportunity to reaffirm that human rights apply equally in old age, and I thank the Chair for having criticized that we were shifted to the margins here today. For the process of drafting the new instrument to succeed, it must be inclusive and participatory. Meaningful participation of organizations of and representing older persons must be ensured throughout the entire process. They should be able to contribute during formal sessions, in any drafting committees, intersessional work, and other informal consultations. Inclusive older people's participation must be be established as a standard practice, with efficient and timely accreditation, to ensure meaningful engagement throughout the negotiations. In this context, it is particularly important to ensure that the experiences and voices of older people in all their diversity are heard, especially those facing poverty, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. or other situations of marginalizations. We look forward to working with all delegations and stakeholders to seize this historic opportunity. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your statement. And now I give the floor to a representative of Human Rights Watch, followed by HelpAge International.

Human Rights Watch welcomes this opportunity to set out its views on the general framework of the new treaty. The purpose of the treaty should be to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by older persons on an equal basis with others. It should apply to all people who experience, or are at risk of experiencing, discrimination or denial of their rights on the basis of their known or perceived older age. Ageism is a key driver of rights violations against older persons, and this should be explicitly recognized in the treaty. The treaty should also acknowledge other factors that exacerbate rights violations, including economic inequality and the impacts of climate change. The treaty should recognize the diversity of older persons and the different forms of discrimination they experience, including intersectional and cumulative discrimination. Older persons face human rights violations across many aspects of their lives. The treaty should address the full range of human rights— civil, cultural, economic, political, and social. The treaty should include strong implementation and accountability measures to ensure these rights are realized in practice. The rights of older people should be fully protected. The treaty should not allow any exceptions or restrictions that reduce the level of protection for human rights guaranteed under other international human rights treaties, nor perpetuate discriminatory age-based limitations on the equal enjoyment of rights by older persons. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Human Rights Watch, and I give the floor to HelpAge International, followed by Age Platform Europe.

Thank you, Chair. As a member of GAROP, we align ourselves to the statement which will be presented on its behalf. To be transformative, this treaty must be grounded in a clear rights-based approach. Older persons are not passive recipients of care; they are rights holders, entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights. As one older person in Pakistan said during recent consultations, we are not asking for charity or sympathy. What we seek is inclusion, respect, and equal opportunity. That message captures the paradigm shift that this treaty must make, away from welfare and paternalism and towards dignity, autonomy, equality, and self- fulfillment in older age. One of the central purposes of the treaty must be to confront ageism. Ageism remains one of the root causes of exclusion and discrimination. It is embedded in laws, institutions, services, communities, and everyday attitudes. The new instrument should explicitly recognize ageism and age discrimination and require states to prohibit, prevent, and eliminate them in all their forms in law and in practice. The treaty must also reflect that older age is not experienced in the same way by everyone. Discrimination in older age often intersects with gender, disability, sexual orientation, family status, and other relevant statuses. Older women in particular continue to face multiple and cumulative forms of discrimination. That reality was echoed by any by many older women we recently consulted. One participant spoke of a lifetime of sacrifices and untold stories, yet continued exclusion from healthcare, lack of financial independence, mobility, and participation in decision-making. Taking into account a life course approach, the treaty should acknowledge that the experience and meaning of older age is shaped by social and cultural norms and expectations, rather than tied to any specific chronological threshold. A human rights-based instrument must also make clear that States are the primary duty bearers under international human rights law. While other actors, including families, may play an important supportive role, the rights of older persons cannot depend on their support, willingness, or circumstances. We urge Member States to ensure that the future treaty is shaped by older persons themselves and includes strong general principles, clear state obligations, a full catalogue of rights, and robust implementation and accountability measures. We must seize this critical opportunity to build a truly transformative instrument that challenges systemic inequalities and ensures that that no one is left behind in older age. Thank you.

Thank you. Now I give the floor to Age Platform Europe, followed by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.

Thank you, Chair. I'm speaking as representative of Age Platform Europe, the largest regional network bringing together more than 100 organizations of older persons. This statement complements the views of our 12 member organizations, which are represented here today, and seeks to ensure that the perspectives of our wider membership can also be reflected in these discussions. Older people from our network welcome the opening of this first substantive session of the Intergovernmental Working Group, and thank you, Chair, and all Member States for your commitment to advancing the rights of older persons during this historic process. We align ourselves with the forthcoming statement by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People. As negotiations begin, we would like to highlight 3 priorities that we believe are essential for an inclusive, transparent and effective process. First, while we welcome the intergovernmental nature of this Working Group and the support that Member States have so far shown to the meaningful participation of older persons, we invite States to actively support the participation of organisations of older persons as key partners throughout this process, during and in between sessions including in any drafting committee. We also encourage Member States to include organizations of older persons in their whole diversity in national and regional consultations and in their delegations so that negotiation positions are informed by the views of those most directly affected. Second, we particularly welcome the agenda item on developing an indicative timeline for future work. Predictability will enable States, civil society and other stakeholders to prepare substantive contributions, coordinate consultations, build capacity, and participate effectively. We hope that this timeline will also reflect the important work that needs to take place in between sessions across all regions with the meaningful participation of older persons and their representative organizations. In addition, it is important to have an official record of the discussions, which will be particularly helpful in the interpretation and application of the legally binding instrument by treaty bodies, State Parties, courts and others. Finally, we urge all delegations to maintain the level of ambition that led to the establishment of this Working Group. The future Convention should not simply restate existing human rights. It should clarify how all human rights apply in older age, address the structural barriers that undermine their enjoyment, and establish strong provisions on implementation, monitoring, accountability and access to remedies. In doing so, it can become a transformative instrument that enables all of us to enjoy our human rights equally throughout our life course. Our members stand ready to support this process at all levels. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Age Platform Europe. And now I give the floor to the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, followed by the National Association of Community Legal Centres

Thank you, Chair. The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, INPEA, is one of the proud founding members of GAROP, and we align with GAROP's statement. We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the general debate on the structure and guiding principles of a legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons. This instrument must be grounded in the existing international human rights framework reaffirming the universality, indivisibility, and interdependence of all human rights. At the same time, it must explicitly address how these rights apply in older age. It should be made clear that older persons are human rights holders in equal standing with others, should be free of ageism and all discrimination, and should be able to enjoy the full range of human rights, including the right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. This instrument must be transformative, addressing the structural barriers that prevent older persons from enjoying their rights on a daily basis. It should recognize that older age is a social construct and we shouldn't stall the process looking for a definition based on arbitrary chronological age. The instrument should be fully comprehensive, following a coherent architecture consistent with other United Nations human rights conventions, should have a preamble recognizing demographic aging and the contribution of older persons to society, while also recognizing the intersectionality of the— and the discrimination that older persons face. Its clear purpose and scope should be defined, as well as the general obligations that require States to review and amend discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, ensuring robust implementation and monitoring mechanisms. The implementation must include regular reporting, accountability, and the full, active, and meaningful participation of older persons and their representative organizations. Older persons must participate not only in matters directly labeled as ageing issues, but in all decisions affecting the wider community, society, and the world. Older persons and their representative organizations must sit at the table during the whole process of drafting and negotiation. We are here and want to be seen and heard. In conclusion, a legally binding instrument must change the narrative on ageing, and affirming unequivocally that all the persons, in all their diversity, are entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of human rights. Thank you.

Thank you for your statement. I now give the floor to the National Association of Community Legal Centres, Inc., followed by the International Disability Alliance.

Thank you, Chair. Our members speak with 50 years of experience in providing free and independent legal services to older persons experiencing human rights violations. We base our advocacy on the lived experience of our clients and not on abstracted concepts. Community Legal Centres Australia is a member of the Global Alliance, and consistent with its consensus position, we make 6 key points. Firstly, the treaty must confront and combat ageism. The convention should define and prohibit ageism and age discrimination in all forms by public and private actors. Its operation must have the eradication of ageism at its core. Secondly, equality must be substantive, intersectional, and recognise the life course. Guarantees of equality and non-discrimination on the ground of age should embed substantive and transformative equality. This will necessarily recognise intersecting identities— in our case, for example, gender, rurality, and indigeneity. But also cumulative discrimination across the life course and diverse aging experiences. The Convention must reflect that aging is a natural and universal part of our experience and affirm that older age is a construct. Thirdly, older persons must be full rights holders. The treaty's conceptual framework should affirm that older persons' full legal personhood and agency require accessibility and reasonable accommodation across all rights. It should mandate full, meaningful, and equal participation of older persons and their representative organizations in all decisions affecting them, including in law and policymaking, in monitoring and implementation. Fourthly, it should be grounded in clear and universal principles. The treaty should include general principles that guide all articles, including, amongst others, non-discrimination, equality, respect for inherent dignity, autonomy, and full legal capacity. The treaty should build upon, expand, and strengthen existing international human rights standards. These principles should function as an interpretive roadmap for drafting, implementation, and adjudication. Fifthly, there should be strong state obligations and innovative monitoring. States, as the primary Duty bearers must adopt legislative, administrative, and policy measures to respect, protect, and fulfill rights, to prevent private sector abuses, to ensure access to justice and effective remedies, to combat ageism through public awareness, and to collect disaggregated data without age caps. Accountability should be guaranteed by robust international oversight processes. Finally, in number 6, human rights treaties should assign obligations to the States. Whilst family and other actors have a valuable role in contributing to older persons' enjoyment of all human rights, it is States that are the duty bearer under international human rights law. The treaty should articulate and reinforce States' obligations to respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of older persons, and we look forward to working with our national government through the treaty-building process. I thank the Chair.

Thank you for your statement. And now we give the floor to the International Disability Alliance, followed by H. Welland Foundation.

Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and colleagues, I speak on behalf of the International Disability Alliance, representing the global movement of persons with disabilities. IDA welcomes and strongly supports the development of a legally binding international instrument on the human rights of older persons. The disability movement knows very well what it means to live for decades within a fragmented system of protection. We also know the transformative power of a dedicated human rights convention. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities did not create new human beings or special rights. It made visible rights violations that the existing human rights system had too often failed to recognize. We believe a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons can play a similarly transformative role. At the same time, IDA wishes to underline an important principle: aging and disability intersect, but they are not synonymous. Many older persons are persons with disabilities. Many persons with disabilities grow older. Yet disability must not be reduced to aging, And aging must not be medicalized through the language of impairment, dependency, or care. The new Convention must therefore be fully coherent with the CRPD and build upon its human rights paradigm. In particular, we encourage this process to protect unequivocally legal capacity, autonomy, independent living, freedom of choice, accessibility, and full participation in the community. We must be particularly vigilant regarding institutionalization. Older age must never become a justification for segregation, involuntary placement, substitute decision-making, or the removal of legal capacity. The right to live independently and to be included in the community does not expire with age. Finally, as we enter an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and algorithm decision-making, the Convention must be forward-looking. AI can support autonomy, accessibility, and independent living, but it can also reproduce ageism and ableism, classify people according to perceived productivity, and make invisible decisions about access to healthcare, social protection, and support. Let us build a convention that complements the CRPD, strengthens the international human rights system, and affirms a simple principle. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of International Disability Alliance, and I give the floor to AgeWell Foundation.

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, and friends, I speak on behalf of AgeWell Foundation and millions of older people across India and the Global South. Having spent almost 3 decades advocating for needs and rights of older people, today I am not only a little emotional, but excited with the development that we all are going ahead with. I believe a treaty that does not explicitly address the demographic reality of the Global South will be a treaty that fails before it is even born. We urge member states not to draft a treaty for the aging of Europe of 1990, but for the aging of Asia Latin America, and Africa in 2050 and beyond. Older persons must not be treated as passive recipients of charity, but as rights holders with lived experience whose voice must shape this instrument from the very beginning. While the room discusses principles, the reality on the ground is urgent. Systems. We therefore urge this working group to adopt guiding principles that are not only universal but deeply conceptual. A treaty that fails to address the lived realities of older persons in Global South, like poverty, elder abuse, healthcare exclusion, and digital marginalization, will remain an elegant document without impact. Our older persons must move from being passive subjects of policy to active rights holders shaping this instrument. Nothing about us without us must be more than a slogan. It must be a binding commitment reflected in the structure and working methods of this process. Mr. Chair, history will not remember how smoothly we drafted the Articles. It will definitely judge us by whether older persons in Indian villages and across the Global South can finally live with dignity and full enjoyment of their rights. Let us build a treaty worthy of that test. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much, sir, for your statement. Now I give the floor to the Center for Global Non-Killing, followed by the American Association of Retired Pension.

Dear human beings, Mr. Vice Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, everyone everywhere, greetings of everlasting human rights. Manner and matter, form serving substance. We need a treaty that has style, eloquence, and elegance. A treaty that is going to be short, readable, accessible. One that people will want to read and to praise, to share and to use without refrain. A treaty meant to last for a very long time because it speaks to the people and brings them what they need. We will be paying full attention to the beauty and to the quality of the text all through the process. Substance serving universality. We need to be ambitious, very ambitious. We need to overcome limitations and flaws and to enter into a new era of human rights. First, why fight over human rights? Well, we all have them, inherent to our human nature and indispensable for our societies. Less confrontation means more cooperation, and it is less costly. Excuse me. This entails more practices of peaceful settlement of disputes, mediation, and such. No human rights treaty has such a mechanism yet, though it is agreed language, even if not yet well applied in international law. We need it— peaceful settlement of disputes— now in human rights law. Secondly, if as an old person I feel the need, or if I am compelled to enter into legal procedure because of my human rights, human rights at large or as entitled by this future treaty, as an old person I will want to see the cause solved preferably before I die. This means we need swiftness and in some cases an urgency procedure, as we have as an example unenforced disappearances. We will be paying full attention to peace and to people's satisfaction through the text during the elaboration process henceforth for the ensuing implementation phases. What we are doing here is unique. Every person is unique and every instant is unique. However, what we're doing here is going to be influential for billions of people. This is a severe responsibility. to be taken with an open heart. We need to be current with ourselves, with our constituencies, and with our common future. Finally, we endorse the following statement by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older Persons: I've spoken, time to act. Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair.

I thank the representative of the Center for Global Non-Killing, and I now give the floor to the American Association of Retired Pensions.

Thank you. I am speaking on behalf of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People, GAROP, a global alliance representing more than 400 member organizations worldwide. GAROP has developed a joint position paper on the conceptual framework, underlying principles, and possible scope of a new treaty. It reflects months of consultation with our members across all regions, from grassroots older persons organizations to national and regional networks, and it is available on our website. Allow me to highlight several key points for this meeting. First, older persons in all their diversity are entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with others, without discrimination of any kind. Second, the new treaty should reaffirm the full range of existing human rights while clarifying and strengthening their application in the context of older age. It must respond to the realities older persons face today and those they will face in the future. Third, the treaty should recognize that older age is a social construct rather than a fixed chronological threshold. A flexible approach will better capture discrimination based on perceived or ascribed older age and reflect the diverse realities of aging across cultures. Societies. Fourth, the treaty should acknowledge that the enjoyment of human rights in older age is shaped by experiences accumulated across the life course and by intersecting forms of discrimination. Fifth, the full and meaningful effective participation of older persons and their representative organizations in is an essential prerequisite for developing a legitimate and effective convention. Nothing about older persons should be decided without older persons. The treaty must clearly articulate the obligations of states parties as primary duty bearers to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights it guarantees. This includes by regulating and holding private actors accountable. It should explicitly guarantee the right to access justice and remedies under national law for violations of the rights and freedoms embodied in the treaty. Finally, this convention must be more than an affirmation or reaffirmation of existing standards. It must be transformative. It should address the structural barriers, ageism, and systemic discrimination that continue to deny older persons the full enjoyment of their human rights, enabling them to participate equally in all aspects of society and to live with dignity, autonomy, and full inclusion. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the the AARP, and I give the floor to the International Federation on Aging, followed by Inclusion Canada.

Thank you, Chair. Excellencies, colleagues, friends, the International Federation on Aging, a global network spanning nearly 80 countries and representing organizations that collectively reach more than 80 million older persons worldwide, aligns itself with the statement delivered by CARAP. This session marks a historic transition. Following the Human Rights Council's decision to establish the Working Group, we now move from recognition of the protection gap to the collective task of drafting an international legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons. The mandate is clear. The responsibility before us is equally clear. To work constructively, inclusively, and with determination to develop a Convention that will strengthen the protection, dignity, and rights of older persons worldwide. Our collective responsibility now is to help shape collectively a Convention worthy of that mandate. As negotiations begin, IFA encourages Members to focus on the Convention's enduring purpose, ensuring that older persons can fully and equally enjoy the same universal human rights as everyone else throughout longer lives and free from ageism, discrimination, and all other barriers to their effective enjoyment. Recent global consultations conducted by IFA with older persons and multi-sector stakeholders reaffirm that ageism continues to undermine older persons' dignity participation and enjoyment of their human rights. They also confirmed the importance of recognizing the value, contributions and potential of older persons when their rights are protected and respected. The challenge before us is therefore no longer simply to agree on principles. The challenge is to translate those shared principles into meaningful legal commitments. Human rights become meaningful when they give rise to corresponding obligations. To be effective, these rights must also be supported by evidence and translated into public policy. Reliable age-disaggregated data and rights-based development policies are essential to identify inequalities, monitor progress, guide resource allocation, and ensure accountability. Human rights and sustainable development are equally reinforcing, and this Convention should provide a framework throughout which both can advance together. By doing so, this Convention will not only strengthen the protection of older persons, it will also strengthen the universality, coherence, and future relevance of international human rights itself. Together, we have a unique opportunity to build a Convention that presents future generations will recognize as landmark contributions to human dignity and human rights. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the representative of the International Federation on Aging, and I now give the floor to Inclusion Canada by video message.

Thank you, Chairperson. Inclusion Canada, in consultative status with ECOSOC, is the national federation advancing the full inclusion and human rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families. We are a member of Inclusion International and work in alliance with People First of Canada, the national voice of self-advocates. Our guiding principle is nothing about us without us. Older persons with intellectual disabilities live at the intersection of ageism and ableism. This Convention will fail its purpose if they are invisible in its text. On the framework, this instrument must build on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and never fall below it. Equality and non-discrimination should be its organizing principle. We ask the Working Group to secure 3 commitments. First, equal recognition before the law. Every older person holds legal capacity on an equal basis with others, with support to exercise it, support that respects the person's rights, will, and preferences. No document signed in the past may override what a person is expressing now, and guardianship must not be this treaty's default response to aging. Second, equality at end of life. Where medical assistance in dying exists, eligibility must rest on the fact that the person is dying, never on disability or old age. No older person should be steered toward death by the absence of care and support, and no advance document may authorize ending a person's life without contemporaneous consent. Third, the right to live and age in community. This Convention must not legitimize institutional long-term care as a default for older persons. On architecture, clear definitions, general obligations, specific rights, and monitoring that guarantees the participation of older persons with disabilities and their organizations. We will contribute throughout this process. Thank you.

Thank you. I give now the floor to the International Longevity Centre from Canada.

Good afternoon. I'm joining today from Canada's National Institute on Aging, and I'm also speaking on behalf of International Longevity Centre Canada, HelpAge Canada, and Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario. We align ourselves with the statement of the Global Alliance on the Rights of Older People. Canada is a wealthy, high-income country with a strong human rights tradition, and even here older persons are falling through the gaps of a fragmented, non-binding international framework. Our institute's own national survey found that 70% of older Canadians report experiencing everyday ageism— being talked over, dismissed, assumed to be incapable, and treated as a burden rather than a citizen. This is not the experience of those on the margins. It is the daily reality for the majority of older adults in our country. This ageism translates directly to dangerous outcomes for older adults. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the cost of this indifference in the starkest possible terms. 69% of all COVID-19 deaths in Canada occurred in long-term care institutions, nearly double the international average of 41%. Older Canadians, particularly those in congregate care, were effectively deprioritized when it mattered most. 1 in 10 older adults in Canada experiences some form of abuse every year— financial, physical, psychological— much of it hidden, underreported, and without adequate legal recourse. And older adults are the fastest-growing demographic experiencing homelessness in Canada. Recent, recent data shows that 27% of people in Canada experiencing homelessness are older adults, a proportion that has doubled since 2009. Canada is now a super-aged country. More than 1 in 5 of Canadians are over 65, and this is increasingly true across the world. And yet older persons remain the only major population group without a dedicated binding international human rights instrument, no equivalent to the Convention on the Rights of the Child or the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The legally binding instrument should give states a clear common framework for what protecting older persons actually requires. Requires, and give older persons themselves and civil society a concrete standard against which to hold governments accountable and robust accountability and monitoring mechanisms to do so. Every rights holder deserves clarity about what their state owes them. Every state deserves clarity about what it has committed to deliver. That mutual clarity is what a legally binding instrument should provide and what the current patchwork non-binding frameworks cannot, and do not. We implore Member States to move this process forward with urgency. Thank you.

Thank you. And I give the floor to the Centre for the Human Rights of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry.

Thank you. This Treaty on the Human Rights of Older Persons represents a tremendous opportunity to enshrine the full human rights of all older persons in a legally binding instrument. As a wide number of submissions have emphasised, a vital part of this will be to ensure that recognition of all older persons' legal capacity is made an intrinsic part of the treaty framework and a key guiding principle, including a older persons with psychosocial disabilities. To cite Tina Minkovits, those of us who experience psychosocial disabilities have no wish to be placed under guardianship or other substitute decision-making regimes in old age, whether this is based on disability or old age or the intersection Or combination of both. We have no wish to be institutionalised, whether through involuntary committal, a family member's substitute decision, or for lack of community-based support and services. We have no wish to be medicated with psychiatric drugs, either as a chemical restraint or as an involuntary treatment alleged to be in our best interests, whether in a psychiatric unit, a nursing home, or assisted living facility for older persons, on any outpatient basis. Our vision for the new treaty is that, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the treaty will enshrine the right of all older persons with disabilities, including those with psychosocial disabilities, to live and take part in the community on an equal basis with others. Services provided will be non-institutional in nature, take comprehensive account of the wide diversity of older persons, including the intersectional discrimination which many older persons experience and crucially stem from individuals' own choices, with supported decision-making and peer support also fully available for older persons who would welcome these. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam, for your statement. I now give the floor to the Global Forum for the Defense of the Less Privileged.

Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair, for giving me the floor. Ladies and gentlemen, friends and colleagues, the discussion that will take place this week represents a historic opportunity to advance the full realization, promotion, and protection of the human rights of older persons. For far too long, many older persons around the world have experienced neglect, discrimination, abuse, and exclusion. Too often, they are perceived merely through the lens of their age rather than recognized as individuals with dignity, rights, aspirations, and invaluable contributions to society. Age is simply just a number. It does not define a person's worth, identity, or humanity. Older persons are not strangers to our societies, nor should they ever be treated as though they are invisible. They are individuals who have spent decades building families, strengthening communities, advancing economies, preserving cultures, and shaping the world we inherit today. They deserve to be recognized not only for their past contributions but also as active rights holders whose voices and experiences continue to enrich our societies. As a young person myself, I recognize that aging is a universal and inevitable part of the human life cycle. The discussions we undertake today are not merely about the rights of today's older persons. They are equally about the rights and dignity of every generation, including my own. The protections we establish now will shape the future that all of us will one day experience. As we begin the elaboration of an LBI, I would like to offer a few recommendations. First, while older persons must remain at the center of this process, meaningful opportunities should also be provided for younger persons to participate. Intergenerational dialogue is essential as the rights we protect today are the rights we all hope to enjoy in the future. Second, the principle of nothing about us without us should guide this process by ensuring the meaningful and effective participation of older persons from diverse backgrounds and circumstances. Third, the instrument should adopt a life course and human rights-based approach, recognizing that aging is a natural part of life and that everyone is entitled to dignity, equality, autonomy, and nondiscrimination at every stage of life. Fourth, particular attention should be given to older persons in vulnerable situations, including older women, older persons with disabilities, indigenous older persons, and those living in poverty, rural areas, or humanitarian settings, ensuring that no one is left behind. Finally, the implementation of the future instrument should be accompanied by awareness-raising, capacity building, and international cooperation to ensure that its commitments translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of older persons. I thank you.

Thank you. I'd now like to give the floor to the Latin American Committee and the Caribbean Committee of Geriatrics and Gerontology.

Secretary. Delegates, colleagues. I'm Laura Cristina Lopez. It's an honor to represent this Colombian organization. The world is changing. We're seeing an increase in longevity and drop in birth rate. These changes are transforming society. There need to be more people who are active in work. We need also to place human rights at the heart of our decisions. in Colombia. We see these challenges after the— we had an equality ministry which played a key role in protecting human rights of older persons. We're not quite clear what the national institution will be that will be taking its place just when the country needs to strengthen its response in this regard. We see through the figures that underpin this inequality is 25.5% of older persons receive a pension. This reality affects disproportionately women. 22.5% have access to a pension vis-à-vis about 30% for men. And in the rural areas, it's even worse. A very small number in the rural areas have actual protection. We are also seeing monetary poverty. 35% are living in poverty if they're older persons. So there is not equal aging. It depends on the territory, your area, accumulated inequality, and that determines how we age. It's vital that we also recognize aging as a phenomenon Women can live more than 10 years longer than men, but not necessarily better. Lower pensions. Very often they're responsible for unpaid care and work. Instead of dignity, we— it's very important that we close the gender gaps that affect women. Loneliness is also a problem, and we also have to address that. Colombia has an historic debt. In terms of this regard, social care and care and the role that women have played in this area. Let's not forget it's mainly women who do this, this caregiving role, without recognizing their rights. We also need to strengthen healthcare. We have sometimes real problems in terms of the fact that our healthcare professionals are emigrating to other countries. So we are lacking in health professionals to address long-term care needs. Dementia is also a challenge affecting many people in the world. Sometime someone is going to face that at some point in their life. It's also very important that we remove isolation, loneliness. Addressing the needs of older persons means addressing those needs for the better future of older persons. Thank you.

I'd like to represent the representative of the Latin American Committee and the Caribbean Committee for Geriatrics and Gerontology. I now give the floor to HelpAge Deutschland.

Thank you, Vice Chair, distinguished delegates. We from HelpAge Deutschland fully align with GARB. When reading through the various submissions, particularly those in response to the call for inputs, a framework emerges that is based on 4 robust pillars, which we should continue to use as so-called ring anchor, as we do when we build a house. First, on structure and guiding principles. We strongly support the position of Germany and other states that this new instrument must be firmly anchored in the existing international human rights framework. The Convention should build on and strengthen universally recognized norms rather than creating lower or parallel standards. Older age must not become a pretext for exceptions or derogations from established rights. Second, the process itself should reflect the principles that the Convention seeks to enshrine. The experience of drafting the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities demonstrated that genuine participation of rights holders and civil society leads to more relevant, coherent, and operational provisions, as just described by my dear colleague from IDA. This means ensuring that all stakeholders are systematically involved, not only in consultations, but in shaping the conceptual architecture and the guiding principles. Third, meaningful participation requires timely, accessible and predictable information, because every voice matters. We therefore encourage the Working Group and the Secretariat to make all key documents, including zero drafts, issue papers and compilations of inputs, etc., available well in advance of discussions in accessible formats and, if possible, in languages. This is essential for all organizations and stakeholders to prepare constructive contributions and coordinate across regions, and by the way, we will not waste time. Fourth, collaboration. We also know from other UN processes that— such as the recent conference on Sudan in Berlin and the ongoing reflections on a Convention on the Protection of Persons in Emergency and Disaster, PPED, that structured collaboration between states, civil society, human rights organizations, academia, and experts from all other relevant stakeholders improves both substance and ownership of outcomes. In this room, I saw and heard yesterday afternoon and this morning a lot of consensus and we should use the momentum. What we want to achieve at the end of our road is a convention. Less dogmatism, more pragmatism will lead the way. With all respect, HelpAge Deutschland therefore urges the Working Group to institutionalize such collaboration in its working methods and to reflect it explicitly in the guiding principles. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to OCRA.

Thank you, Chair. OCRA is a membership-based organization of older people in Belgium. We're building on the earlier excellent statements of Age Europe and GADAP. I want to strongly emphasize the crucial role of a really effective, truly universal human rights approach. As the Slovenian Ambassador pointed out yesterday, we have to move from aspirations to obligations. Too often, the debate about the rights of older persons gets stuck at recognizing general principles about the right to dignity, equality, autonomy, and so on and so on, while forgetting to translate this into the triple R of rights, rules, and respect. Enforceable rights for older persons, enforceable rules for governments and social and economic institutions, and as a conditio sine qua non, the mechanisms to ensure respect for those rights and rules. All too often, we hear that the existing arsenal of human rights text already provides plenty of guarantees for older people. For example, it is said that the existing International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights already implicitly prohibits age discrimination. Well, if that was really the case, the very fact that this protection is implicit would itself be a form of age-based discrimination compared to other forms of discrimination And in practice, it remains most of the time dead letter. Together with other Belgian senior organizations, we have now drawn up a list of age discriminations under Belgian law in legislation. Our preliminary list already contains over 30 violations. Or take the right to care. Sure, there is the human right to healthcare. But older people need that wider range of care, just as was acknowledged earlier for people with disabilities. Or take the right to dignity. How can that be guaranteed if the right to a decent income is not explicitly enshrined, also building on the acquis of the ILO, which already provides in its Convention 102 the right to an adequate pension as well as the right to survivor pension for widows and widowers. From the caution of some governments, we also notice a lot of reluctance— some governments— regarding additional reporting obligations and their costs. Well, we believe that it is essential, essential to have that monitoring as part of a broader system with periodic evaluations, national watchdogs, remedy procedures, and guaranteed involvement in the monitoring of organizations representing older people. I thank you.

I thank the representative of OCRA, and I now give the floor to Professor Israel Doron, followed by Foundation Bonum Vitae. There's a problem with your micro, sir.

Thank you very much, Chair. I would like to once again thank you and the Secretariat for your leadership in guiding the drafting process of the new Future Convention on the Rights of Human rights of older persons. I would like also to express my full support to the excellent statement of principles submitted by GAROP. I would like to briefly highlight 2 dimensions that, in my view, should be explicitly recognized among the Convention's foundational principles. First, the emancipatory dimension of aging. The Convention, in my view, should recognize emancipation in old age as a core concept. Old age should not be viewed as a period of inevitable decline or dependency, but as a stage of life that can open new opportunities for freedom, self-determination and personal development. For many older people, later life offers the possibility of moving beyond earlier constraints related to work, family responsibilities or social expectations. And of pursuing new aspirations, relationships and forms of participation. The Convention should therefore affirm the right of older persons to social emancipation, including autonomy, self-realization and the freedom to develop their own personality, while promoting conditions that enable them to redefine their roles and identities on their own terms. Secondly, the ideological dimension of the Convention— what I will call ageism. Lasting advances in human rights are rarely achieved through legal norms alone. They are sustained only by transformative ideas that challenge existing power structures and empower those whose rights have long been overlooked or oppressed. The development of this Convention should therefore be informed by the emerging concept of ageism— not ageism, but ageism— an ideological framework that places the agency, voice, and collective action of older persons at its centre. Ageism recognizes older persons are not merely holders of rights or recipients of protection, but active agents for social change. It promotes participation, self-representation, and empowerment. We should all be ageists. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Now I give the floor to the Foundation Bonum Vitae.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates, On behalf of the Bonum Vitae Foundation Poland, drawing on our practical experience in working for and with older persons, as well as on our assessment of current and future challenges concerning their situation in the context of human rights, we would like to present several key recommendations relevant to the work of a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. In our view, the future instrument should clearly strengthen the agency and legal objectivity of older persons, recognizing them as full participants in social, economic, and public life. This principle should be reflected not only in the substance of the Convention, but also in the process of its development. But ensuring the mindful participation in— of older persons in their representative organizations in the work of the group. We consider it's essential that the Convention address the broadest possible range of rights and needs of older persons, combining a universal human rights approach with practical responses to specific challenges. This applies in particular to access to geriatric healthcare, care services, social activity, civic participation, protection from violence, neglect, and ageism, as well as from different forms of exclusion, including economic, transport-related, and digital exclusion. Particular attention should also be paid to the risks arising from the rapid development of digital technologies, electronic communications, and the collection, processing, and exchange of data, including sensitive data. Technological progress must not result in limiting older persons' autonomy, privacy, or access to essential services. With a view To the future adoption, ratification, and implementation of the Convention, we recommend the early engagement of key stakeholders, including social partners, civil society organizations, and decision-makers at all levels of government. Thank you.

Thank you. And I give the floor to Dr. Fusako Seki.

Is it working? Yes. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I'm Fusako Seki, Professor of Elder Law in Kanagawa University, Japan. I warmly Welcome the establishment of this Working Group. The new instrument must not simply repeat existing human rights norms. Its task is to make universal human rights effective in older age. First, the instrument should articulate considerations specific to older age. the time a person has lived, the continuity of life and relationships, and the recognition of the life lived. These are not new categories of rights. Just as the CLPD established reasonable accommodation in international human rights law, this Working Group should develop and enshrine concepts specific to older age. Second, the prohibition of age discrimination is, of course, essential, but it should not stand alone. It must be placed in relationship to dignity, autonomy, participation, protection, and intergenerational justice. That said, International perspectives must never justify lowering the protection of older persons. Third, age-based discriminations and protective measures can be legitimate protection or discrimination just violates rights. Yes, my mother Tomoko in her 80s is watching us from Japan on UN TV now, but I wish my father Hajime were watching with her. He sadly passed away in 2024 after hospitalization. To protect patients from infection, family visit at the hospital were limited to 30 minutes a day. Hajime, who had dementia, could not explain why he was unable to eat. And my family, unfortunately, had too little time to help him eat with this 30 minutes. He gradually lost the ability to eat and died. Protection is essential, yet restriction in the name of protection can take away the foundation of dignified life. The instrument therefore needs framework to assess whether an age-based measure is legitimate protection or discrimination. These points are elaborated in my working paper forthcoming on SSR. Thank you.

Thank you, Professor, for your statement and your testimony. And now, I give the floor to Dr. Hans-Carl von Bertan.

Thank you, Chair. I speak as co-chairperson of Silver Netz in Germany. We very much appreciate the opportunity to participate in and to speak at this session. We fully align ourselves with the position of GAREB. Let me take the opportunity to thank GAREB for its extremely valuable work and for its support. For 7 years, Silbernetz has run a telephone hotline for lonely elderly people. Our message is very clear: no one should have to suffer from loneliness in old age. Most of those lonely people do not appear in public life. They do not join meetings or write submissions. They do not demonstrate. The new convention must speak about them clearly. Loneliness is not only a private feeling. It is also a human rights issue. It affects dignity. It affects health. It affects participation, including in democratic processes. Ageism is another key issue. One of its forms is when loneliness in old age is accepted as normal. Age discrimination must be treated as seriously as other forms of discrimination. Ageism must not be a footnote in this Convention. It must be one of its central concerns. The Convention should also affirm a clear goal: older persons should be able to age with dignity, in their own home, if they wish to do so. This requires support, contact, accessible services, and human attention. A Convention on Older Persons must begin by hearing those who are hardest to hear. Thank you.

Thank you. And now I give the floor to Oldup.

Thank you, Chairman, Excellencies, and everyone here. Wherever you might be on your life course towards the final destination which we all share. Firstly, as a South African, I support totally what the AgeWell Foundation has just said about the Global South. As Old Up, a French association member both of AGE Platform and of GARP, we are totally aligned with their position. Therefore, I'm not going to go into details about the actual convention, but to try to just express one aspect of what we are thinking about and what we are feeling. First of all, OLDUP was created about 20 years ago and aimed specifically at the +75 population group, and this is precisely the population group that is causing great concern now because it's swelling and reaching proportions that are unprecedented in the world today. Our essential values are, number one, how to find meaning and— and I underline this— usefulness to this extraordinary longevity that science and medical science have given us. Secondly, how to continue to play a role, an active, positive role in our societies, how to make our voices and our experience count, and then obviously to advocate for the idea that nothing for us, without us. Today in our world, we are fraught with fear and uncertainty. There are so many emerging challenges that are coming together at the same time and each one feeding on the other. All of these challenges we can see, whether they be the climate, the sea, health, hunger, and I could go on and on. These are all completely age-blind. They do not make a distinction between the baby or the old person. They strike across the board. And it is the same also with the soft challenges that we read so much about people and how they are suffering. whether they are both young or old, and these soft challenges include depression and loneliness. I think that we are all on a frontier of the unknown and an unprecedented frontier. We are all pioneering the future in real time. What we would like you just think about is, number one, how can we break down the age silos that are perpetuating ageism? That we think is essential. Secondly, to add the word engagement to participation. And thirdly, maybe to think about your own decision, which is not to start from scratch. You know, old people are not empty. They come with a lifetime of experience to offer and to give. We remain learners and teachers throughout our lives, and we have a solid stake in the future, not only for ourselves but for our families and for the communities that we represent. And on this National Day of France, let me just end with a quotation of Victor Hugo, who said that the privilege of being aged is that we we have all our ages at the same time. So this is our message. Please pass it on. Thank you.

Thank you. And now with the floor to the World Psychiatric Association by video message.

Dear Chair, distinguished colleagues, I speak on behalf of the World Psychiatric Association, which I am the president of, with 146 member societies from 123 countries around the globe. We need to remember that 1 billion people worldwide are now 60 years or older. Among them, approximately 14% experience a mental disorder like depression, anxiety, etc. These are not marginal figures. We must also remember that 57 million people live with dementia. All those people They need to be addressed in your very important and historical work. It is really an honor and privilege to join your group and this week's meetings. WPA argues that mental health, brain health, dementia, psychosocial disability, long-term care, community-based care, legal capacity, supported decision-making, and protection from abuse and neglect should be clearly reflected in the future United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, also taking into consideration The issues of equality, the issues of diversity, and transcultural aspects. The convention should also support implementation through practical guidelines, education and training, evidence-informed policy, and person-centered, human rights-based care, and support. Above all, older persons themselves must be at the center of this process, as the chair already pointed out. The voices of elderly persons, their choices, should guide the development, implementation, and monitoring of the convention. As well, the societies must really see that human rights must be realized in everyday life and not only guaranteed by law. Thank you.

Thank you. We are just 10 minutes from the end of this session. I would urge the speakers to be as brief as possible and to stick to the time limit so as to give the opportunity to all speakers to have the floor. The next one is Cyprus Third Age Observatory.

Distinguished Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we are supporting and aligning our voice with Garop's statement. This Working Group exists today because for decades States have failed to recognize older persons as rights holders. This failure has led to serious consequences, including prevention of poverty, avoidable deaths, and daily humiliation for many older people. It is time for States to stop relying on insufficient agreements and fragmented protections. They must make a firm commitment to establishing a strong Convention on the Human Rights of Older People, not only for those who are currently older, but also for future generations. For years, we have understood that ageism is a structural driver of violations against older people, manifesting in laws, policies, institutions, and even in our language about ageing. Yet, Many States have tolerated it as an acceptable form of prejudice. Older persons must be recognized as equal rights holders whose autonomy, agency and dignity clearly require clear legal guarantees. Member States have already developed sophisticated human rights architectures for many groups, and this process now offers a unique opportunity to bring the same level of ambition and normative clarity to older age, moving beyond policy statements and action plans towards strong binding commitments that address ageism and the systemic barriers that create situations of vulnerability and exclusion. States cannot claim ignorance anymore. Evidence from UN bodies, national institutions, civil society and older persons themselves highlights critical gaps: lack of age protection in non-discrimination clauses, insufficient safeguards against violence in care settings, inadequate long-term care standards, exclusion from digitalization and AI, inaccessible complaint mechanisms, and social protection systems that leave many insecure in older age. The first session must therefore be a turning point. The question is no longer whether a convention is needed. The question is whether States are willing to accept real obligations and real monitoring and real consequences. A convention without teeth is a diluted text that restates existing rights without clarifying their application in older age, avoids ageism and sidesteps long-term care, digital rights, emergencies and access to justice. A Convention without teeth would be another act of neglect dressed up as progress. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. I give the floor to National Older Women's Network.

The National Older Women's Network reflects the voices of older women in Australia and has reached out to include the voices and perspectives of older women from New Zealand, Solomon Islands, and the First Nations women. Known supports the conceptual framework paper prepared by GARAP, recognising that it reflects extensive discussion, collaboration, consensus amongst civil society organisations. We thank you for the food of thought discussion paper. However, Known strongly urges the Intergovernmental Working Group to reject any direction that places responsibility for care, support, protection of human rights on families. Primary responsibility for all human rights rests with the state, with vigorous accountability requirements. What is often described as family care is in reality provided overwhelmingly by women who disproportionately carry the physical, emotional, social and economic burdens of those caring responsibilities into their own older age. We ask that the Working Group does not fall into the trap of viewing older persons through a lens of diminished capacity and infirmity, reviewing— viewing older people as a group needing to be placed in care, even though some of us may do so. Older people in all of their diversity must have the capacity to live their lives free of all forms of discrimination, in full enjoyment of their human rights, with dignity, equality and respect. To that end, the Convention must address ageism and sexism as fundamental human rights. communities. Excluding people from full participation in society because of their age, gender, sexuality diminishes both the invaluable contributions older people have made and those they continue to make. NOONE also believes that the treaty must explicitly recognise the disproportionate impact of climate change on older persons across all societies, particularly Indigenous communities. floods, bushfires and other climate-related disasters create significant health risks for older people by displacing communities, destroying traditional food sources, damaging cultural heritage and knowledge and practices that essentially identify wellbeing and intergenerational continuity. Growing wealth inequality and the concentration of power in the hands of a small number of individuals and corporations increasingly shapes the attitudes of community towards the value of older people. The Convention should address the concentration of media ownership limiting access to reliable information, reducing meaningful participation in decision-making and excluding older persons from developing solutions that directly affect them. The legally binding instrument has the potential To ensure that we never again witness circumstances where older people are dehumanized and denied their essential medical care because of their age, which sees them as no further value, as occurred during in many countries during COVID Thank you. Nothing about us without us.

Merci. Maintenant, je donne la parole à Thank you. À colonne conséquence décennale.

Monsieur le président. Thank you. I speak on behalf of the Swiss Council for Older Persons, an advisory body of the Swiss government on age policy. We welcome the historic decision to develop a legally binding international agreement on the rights of older persons. Humanity has gained years of life. This allows us to keep our freedoms and rights longer. As we get older, as life gets longer, however, our rights are weakened. Capacities, values, rights of a person must not depend on age. They must not lead to discrimination. Older people cost more in health costs, but they must not be excluded from basic healthcare insurance. Older persons vote more than younger people. This does not mean that their right— that their vote must have less value. Older persons use artificial intelligence less during COVID There was stigmatization, discrimination based on age. A convention must lead to a paradigm change. Older persons are rights holders. They are citizens, full citizens. The convention must guarantee their autonomy, their participation in decisions on their health care, in community life, access to justice, human dignity. States must be primarily responsible for this. The Swiss Council expressed in detail on this, on the general framework and on the provisions that a convention must have. Human rights never retire. Older persons must have the same guarantees as all others. This is a principle of international law. I thank you.

Now I give the floor to our last speaker, Belonging Forum, by video message.

Chair, Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates and partners, I am honored to address this working group today. As founder and chief architect of the Belonging Forum, my work is dedicated to advancing social connectedness and embedding belonging in public policy and practice. Through our cross-sector partnerships and our annual Belonging Barometer, we see clear evidence that social isolation is not simply a personal experience. It is shaped by the systems, institutions, and environments around us. That is why this legally binding instrument is so important. To dismantle pervasive and systemic ageism, we must recognize older persons as active rights holders, people with agency, wisdom, relationships, contributions, and aspirations. Inclusion is essential, but it is not enough. Inclusion may open a door. Belonging asks whether a person is truly valued, heard, supported, and able to flourish once they are through it. It is the difference between rights on paper and rights in practice. Social isolation is not an inevitable part of aging. It is a structural failure. Belonging does not happen by accident. It is created through the conditions we build around people. A belonging-centered approach to this instrument should be rooted in the 4 dimensions of belonging: people, place, power, and purpose. Together, these dimensions mean protecting older persons' rights to meaningful relationships, and reciprocal care. Supporting the right to age in the community and environment of one's choice. Ensuring agency, autonomy, and participation in decisions that affect their lives and safeguarding the freedom to contribute, be recognized, and remain part of the shared life of our communities. Belonging brings human rights to life. By anchoring this treaty in these dimensions, We can help ensure that every person can age with dignity, connection, agency, and purpose. Thank you.

Chair? Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished participants, this brings us to the end of this meeting. We will resume our work this afternoon at 3 PM for our plenary discussion under Item 4, entitled Not Building from Scratch. Thank you very much. I hereby declare this meeting closed.