JUSTIFICATION FOR A CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS Dirk Jaspers_Faijer, Director CELADE-Population Division ECLAC

[ We] pledge … to promote the drafting of a convention on the rights of older persons … Declaration of Brasilia (Art.26) Initiatives for protecting the rights of older persons and contribution of the Brasilia Declaration 1948: Argentina 1991: Federación Internacional de la Vejez y República Dominicana 1999: República Dominicana 1999: American Association of Retired Persons (ARRP) International Federation on Aging and the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

Ampliación del consenso Perspectiva subregional Derechos a proteger Elementos técnicos Brasil (2008) Argentina (2009) Chile (2009) El Salvador (2010) Meetings in follow up to the Brasilia Declaration within the framework of a convention on the rights of older persons Subregional Perspective Brazil Rights to protect Technical aspects Broadening of consensus

–The request that the Executive Secretariat of ECLAC convey to the Secretary-General of the United Nations the desire of the countries that a working group be established to spearhead the preparation of an international accord to protect the rights of older persons The ECLAC AD Hoc Committee on Population and Development Agreements included:

Key elements justifying the adoption of a convention on the rights of older persons Dispersión normativa que limita la protección de los derechos de las personas mayores Falta de especificidad de los derechos humanos a la situación de las personas mayores Faltan un conjunto coherente de principios normativos para guiar las acciones Lack of coherent set of legal principles to guide action Lack of specifics in human rights instruments concerning the situation of older persons Heterogeneous regulation limiting protection of the rights of older persons

Contribution of a convention to the protection and exercise of rights in old age Eliminar dispersión normativa y esclarecer ambigüedades sobre el tema Fortalecer la vigilancia y promoción de los derechos de las personas mayores Interpretación evolutiva de los instrumentos de derechos humanos Promoción de un enfoque de derechos humanos en las políticas públicas Elimination of heterogeneous regulation and resolution of ambiguities in this area Strengthening of monitoring and promotion of the rights of older persons Promotion of a human rights approach in public policy Evolving interpretation of human rights instruments

To summarize, there is a need to adapt human rights instruments to the new demographic scenario Convención Americana de los Derechos Humanos (OEA, 1969) Protocolo Adicional a la Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos en materia de DESC (OEA, 1988) (6%) (6%) (8%) (15%) Latin America: number and percentage of older persons, American Convention on Human Rights (OAS, 1969) Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (OAS, 1988)