WUNRN
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-198/15
Democracy for peace, security,
and development
Americas OAS Becomes the First Region in the World with a
Convention for the Protection of the Rights of OLDER Persons
June 15, 2015 - The member
states of the Organization of American States (OAS) today approved the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights
of Older Persons during the General Assembly of the institution,
which was immediately signed by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile,
Costa Rica and Uruguay at OAS headquarters in Washington DC.
The purpose of the Convention -the first regional instrument of its kind in the
world-, is to promote, protect and ensure the recognition and the full
enjoyment and exercise, on an equal basis, of all human rights and fundamental
freedoms of older persons, in order to contribute to their full inclusion,
integration and participation in society. The starting point of the Convention
is the recognition that all existing human rights and fundamental freedoms
apply to older people, and that they should fully enjoy them on an equal basis
with other segments of the population.
"This is a very important step for everyone. Our slogan of 'More rights
for more people' is fully in the logic of the Convention, which reaffirms the
hemispheric dimension of our work, in this case the commitment to ensure the
full enjoyment of the rights of older people, taking into account their needs
and specific requirements," said Secretary General Luis Almagro during the
signing of the document, which urges States to adopt "legislative or other
measures" that are necessary to give effect to the rights and freedoms of
older adults, including awareness campaigns.
At present, people aged 60 or older in the Americas represent 14 percent of the
hemisphere's population (over 135 million). By 2030, nearly two in five people
will be 60 or older, and in total there will be more than 215 million older
people in the Americas. The Convention will strengthen the legal obligations to
respect, promote and ensure the human rights of older persons. Its ratification
will carry the obligation of States parties to adopt measures to guarantee a
differentiated and preferential treatment to older persons in all spheres.
For the Convention to enter into force it is necessary that at least two
signatory countries have ratified it.