What is the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing?
The Open-ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWG) is a new UN working group that meets in New York. It was established by a resolution at the 2010 General Assembly. You can read the resolution A/RES/65/182 at: http://social.un.org/ageing-working-group/
Why is the OEWG important?
Discrimination in old age and the violation of older people’s rights continue to be tolerated around the world. As populations age, the number of older people facing this discrimination will increase. Despite this, attention to older people’s rights by governments, those working on human rights and NGOs has been woefully inadequate. This OEWG is the first time a process has been set up for UN Member States to specifically examine how to better protect older people’s rights.
What is the OEWG’s mandate?
The OEWG’s main purpose is strengthening the protection of the human rights of older people. The OEWG has been given a wide mandate to examine the existing international framework in relation to the human rights of older people, and to identify possible gaps and how best to address them, including the possibility of new human rights instruments.
How is the OEWG organised?
Any Member State of the UN can participate in the OEWG. NGOs can apply for accreditation. The OEWG has a Bureau of representatives from five Member States to manage its work: Argentina is the Chair; the Vice-Chairs are Luxembourg and Qatar; and Albania represents Eastern European States. The OEWG still needs a Bureau member from the African Region.
When are the OEWG’s sessions?
There was broad agreement on the need to discuss the protection of human rights for this large and growing group and recognition that they have not been adequately addressed to date. Proposals were made on how to improve this including strengthening existing mechanisms, data collection and research; a new special rapporteur on the rights of older people; and a new convention on older people’s rights.
This session looked in more substantive detail at the rights to health, social security, freedom from violence and age-related discrimination.
- Third session, 2012
The third session is will take place in 2012. The date and agenda have not been set yet.
How can civil society organisations work with the OEWG?
Civil society organisations and their networks can contribute as panellists to the substantive discussion of the OEWG. For example representatives of the Tanzanian Social Protection Network and the Confederation of Older Persons' Associations of The Philippines both spoke at the second session.
Although the OEWG meets in New York, government representatives at the UN take their instructions from their governments in capital cities. Civil society organisations, therefore, have a critical role to play at the national level in:
- Informing government representatives in capital cities about the importance of the OEWG.
- Encouraging their government to participate in the work of the OEWG.
- Providing information on discrimination against older people and violations of their rights to government representatives in capital cities and in New York.
- Meeting with government representatives to discuss issues that you think need to be raised at the OEWG.
- Working with civil society and older people’s groups to advocate for their rights.
- Working with journalists on media articles on older people’s rights.
Where can I find more information?
- Older people’s rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/OlderPersons/Pages/OlderPersonsIndex.aspx
- Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People: www.rightsalliance.org