The drafting of an international legally binding instrument to protect the rights of older persons is about to begin !! The Human Rights Council, in its resolution 58/13 (https://undocs.org/A/HRC/RES/58/13) decided to establish an intergovernmental working group to elaborate a draft international legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons with the objective of promoting, protecting and ensuring the full enjoyment of human rights by older persons. The work will begin in 2026.
The Global Alliance for the Rights of Older Persons (GAROP) is following each step of way, ensuring meaningful participation of civil society in the deliberations of the working group. Information on GAROP’s advocacy activities can be found on its website (https://rightsofolderpeople.org/)
UPCOMING EVENTS
Below are events and meetings that will be taking place in the coming months and are of interest to us. Most events can be seen on UNWebTV. Pay attention to what Member States say about different issues – where do they stand on ageing issues? Ageism and age discrimination? On gender equality? Human rights? Social protection? Violence, abuse and neglect? Health? Care and support? Social integration?
- 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly opened in New York on 9 September 2025 and will close on 8 September 2026. The High-level week takes place from 22-30 September, when Heads of State give their statements.
- President of the General Assembly is from Germany, H.E. Annalena Baerbock (https://www.un.org/pga/80/about-president-of-the-general-assembly-at-its-80th-session/)
- Official meetings of the General Assembly, including its 6 Main Committees, and other UN intergovernmental bodies can be watched on UN Web TV: https://webtv.un.org/en
- Daily listing of meetings appear in the Journal: https://journal.un.org/en/new-york/all/2025-09-11?_gl=1*l79cj1*_ga*mtcxmtm1ote4ny4xnjazoti4mjc2*_ga_tk9bql5x7z*cze3ntc2mde2mjmkbzu0nirnmsr0mtc1nzywmtgwnirqntikbdakada
- Ageing issues:
- Annual report of the Secretary-General (prepared by the Programme on Ageing Section) focusing on the pillars of social development – eradication of poverty, expansion of productive employment and reduction of unemployment, and social integration, has been issued as A/80/147 (https://undocs.org/A/80/147). This report will be considered by the Third Committee (Social, humanitarian and cultural) of the General Assembly) which approves an annual resolution for adoption by the General Assembly. The annual resolution to be negotiated is titled “Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing”.
- Webpage of the United Nations Programme on Ageing Section: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/ageing
- Meetings and events during General Assembly High-level Week 2025 can be found here: https://www.un.org/en/high-level-week-2025. Of particular interest to us are:
- High-level Meeting on the 30th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, 22 September 2025
- Climate Summit, 24 September 2025
- High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being, 25 September 2025
- High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth, 25 September 2025.
- World Summit on Social Development, 4-6 November 2025, Qatar.
- Information can be found here: https://social.desa.un.org/world-summit-2025?_gl=1*1d5vip1*_ga*MTcxMTM1OTE4Ny4xNjAzOTI4Mjc2*_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z*czE3NTc2MDE2MjMkbzU0NiRnMSR0MTc1NzYwNDQ5NCRqNDYkbDAkaDA.
- The WSSD will officially adopt a Political Declaration that has been negotiated in New York. In that Declaration, there are 7 references to older persons. Final text will be issued, in due course, as an official document with a symbol number.
- Preparations for the Commission on the Status of Women at its 70th session,
9-20 March 2026
Priority theme: Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices, and addressing structural barriers.
Review theme: Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls (agreed conclusions of the sixty-fifth session).
At its
The NGO Committee on Ageing’s Subcommittee on Older Women has begun its work to ensure involvement in the preparation of the CSW agenda, and to plan for a side event with sponsorship of Member States. More information on the CSW can be found on the UNWomen website: https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/commission-on-the-status-of-women
NGOs that have consultative status with the Economic and Social Council can submit written statements and can apply to make oral statements – updated information on procedures, applications, deadlines etc. will be on the UNWomen website.
NGOs should also access the website of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women to learn more about its work and organization of “Parallel Events” during the CSW (https://ngocsw.org/). NGOs should consider collaborating with each other to organize events.
- Work related to the drafting of an international legally binding instrument (a convention) to protect the rights of older persons
The Human Rights Council has decided to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group (IGWG)to elaborate a draft international legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons for submission to the Council (resolution A/HRC/RES/58/13 – (https://undocs.org/A//HRC/RES/58/13). The bulk of work will occur in Geneva, with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights playing a lead role in supporting the work of the IGWG and with NGOs collaborating under the umbrella of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP - https://rightsofolderpeople.org/about/) and the NGO Committee on Ageing in Geneva (https://ageingcommitteegeneva.org/). Whatever is approved by the Human Rights Council must eventually be decided by the General Assembly in New York.
Advocacy efforts for a convention, along with supporting older persons from an economic and social perspective, must continue in New York by supporting the concerns of older person in other United Nations intergovernmental bodies, especially in the context, for example, of implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) and the Sustainable Development Goals. Support for a convention can be expressed in, for example, the Commission for Social Development, the Commission for Population and Development, the Statistical Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women and any other global and regional forum that addresses demographic trends, economic and social rights, statistical data, health issues, gender equality etc.
Website for the work of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, established in 2010 and concluded in 2024 with the adoption of General Assembly resolution 78/324 (https://undocs.org/A/RES/78/324) – is here (https://social.un.org/ageing-working-group/).
- Other upcoming meetings: check websites regularly as they are updated on a regular basis. Information is also provided for NGO participation, deadlines for registration, submission of written statements, registration for oral statements, organization of side events, etc.
- Commission for Social Development, 2-11 February 2026: https://social.desa.un.org/csocd/64th-session
Priority theme: advancing social development and social justice through coordinated, equitable, and inclusive policies.
- Statistical Commission, 3-6 March 2026 - https://unstats.un.org/UNSDWebsite/statcom/
- Commission on Population and Development, early April 2026 - https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/content/CPD
- High Level Political Forum, 6-16 July 2026 - https://hlpf.un.org/2026. Theme will be “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all”. The NGO Committee on Ageing is a member of the Stakeholder Group on Ageing which selects members to participate in the different processes related to the HLPF, submits an annual position paper on ageing issues and organizes a side event during the HLPF.
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