Blog by Stacy Ciulik and Donatella Benjamin, Soroptimist International Representatives to the UN, Geneva.
On February 17, Donatella and I attended the NGO Briefing for the 2026 Intergovernmental Meeting on the Rights of Older Persons. It was a well-attended event from NGOs around the world including, among others, Bangladesh and the Philippines.
For Donatella, the day offered an excellent opportunity to prepare for the upcoming two-day Organisational Meeting for the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) to draft a legally binding instrument for promotion and protection of the rights of older persons. Discussions focused heavily on the draft conceptual framework with the emphasis on the essential role of older persons themselves in participating in the drafting of the legally binding instrument.
For me, the day provided an intense and valuable introduction to the treaty-drafting process, as well as to connect with many representatives from Member States and civil society working on issues related to poverty. Last October, we from NGO CSW Geneva organised a commemorative event for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and it was meaningful for those involved to reconnect in person.
At the heart of the movement for a UN convention on the rights of older persons is a simple but powerful idea: rights create empowerment. When older persons’ rights are clearly defined, protected, and enforceable, they gain the ability to participate fully in society, make decisions about their own lives, and influence the policies that affect them.
The Long Road Toward a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons
From 2011 to 2024, the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA) of the United Nations General Assembly brought together Member States and stakeholders to identify gaps in the international human rights system and explore ways to address them, including the possibility of a new international instrument on older persons’ rights. Approximately 240 NGOs were accredited to this process and many civil society organisations and older persons actively participated at both national level and in the OEWGA annual sessions, consistently advocating for a UN convention.
With the conclusion of OEWGA’s mandate in 2024 – formalized through Resolution 78/324 and Decision 14/1, which acknowledged significant gaps in existing human rights protections and presenting options for addressing them – the momentum for a new instrument grew substantially. Responsibility for advancing this work shifted to Geneva, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council.
The Human Rights Council, through its resolution A/HRC/RES/58/13 adopted by consensus on 3 April 2025, established an intergovernmental working group (IGWG) mandated to draft a new international legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons.
This is a major step toward what many states and civil society groups have advocated for over 60 years: a UN convention on the rights of older persons.
What the “Legally Binding Instrument” Would Mean
The future treaty—most likely a UN convention— would aim to:
- Define the human rights of older persons explicitly
- Establish clear state obligations to protect those rights
- Address gaps in existing international human rights law
- Provide mechanisms for monitoring and accountability
Its structure would resemble other UN human rights treaties (such as CEDAW or CRPD) while being tailored to the realities of ageing populations.
During the NGO briefing, speakers repeatedly expressed great appreciation for the strong cooperation amongst member states, NGOs and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). The sense of shared purpose and collaboration was a defining feature of the day.
