Using human rights accountability mechanisms to promote and protect older women’s rights

Overview

Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, the understanding of discrimination against different people has moved forward considerably. This can be seen in the development of human rights conventions on children, women, disabled people and migrant workers and their families. However, one area still neglected is that of the rights of older women. Age discrimination continues to be tolerated and accepted by those in positions of power and by society in general, and for older women this discrimination is cross-cut by gender-based discrimination. This article looks at why and how NGOs can use existing human rights accountability mechanisms to hold governments to account for their human rights obligations towards older women.

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