Government urged to back meaningful participation of older people in new UN Convention

Age International is calling on the UK Government to ensure older people are meaningfully involved in drafting the new United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. The call comes in a joint letter sent this week to Chris Elmore MP - the UK Foreign Minister responsible for human rights - by 38 civil society leaders, including Age International, alongside supporters from the UK public.

Over two billion people worldwide will be aged 60 and over by 2050, yet ageism and age discrimination remains widespread. A UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons would provide legally binding international legislation to address gaps in the protection of older people's rights. Age International is calling for older people’s lived experiences to be put at the heart of the Convention. The Convention is an opportunity to lift everyone up, ensuring people of all ages can live and age with dignity.

As part of Age International’s "Nothing about us, without us" campaign, more than 3,400 members of the UK public have also added their names to a statement calling on the UK Government to listen to older people’s voices and learn from their experiences – because a Convention informed by older people’s lived experiences will be stronger, fairer and more effective.

The joint letter and statement were delivered this week, during the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People's 'Global Rally' (1-7 February 2026). The Global Rally is taking place ahead of the first meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Working Group (18-20 February 2026) tasked with drafting the Convention.

Last week, Age International staff met with the Human Rights Team in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to discuss the UK's role in shaping the Convention and the importance of involving older people. Alison Marshall, Chief Executive Officer at Age International, said: 

"The UK Government has played a positive role in the UN discussions to date. We expect it to play an active part in the Intergovernmental Working Group, and in promoting the rights of older people at the UN in Geneva and New York. Responsibility for ageing and older people does not sit with one single Government Department, so agreement across Whitehall is necessary for the Government to engage fully with the drafting process. It is an opportunity for the UK to show leadership on a defining issue of our time - how we respond to global population ageing."

The need for a Convention is also gaining cross-party support in Westminster, with over 75 Members of Parliament signing an Early Day Motion (2532) calling on the Government to openly support and engage with the process of drafting a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.

The process for drafting and consulting on the UN Convention is expected to take several years. The February 2026 meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group will be an organisational meeting, with future sessions focusing on the structure and content of the Convention. While the final text can only be agreed by UN Member States, Age International stresses that this human rights treaty can only be considered legitimate with the direct participation of older people and the organisations representing them.

Today, Age International also publishes a new policy briefing, "Lifting everyone up: Why a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons matters". The briefing sets out why a Convention is necessary, what to expect from the drafting process, why the involvement of older people is crucial, and the role the UK Government can play in ensuring their meaningful participation.

Read the policy briefing