6th Session of the Open Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA)
Update on the OEWGA Process
All Member States’ Missions to the UN in New York have been contacted by the Chair of the OEWGA in relation to the 2014 Resolution 69/146, which «Calls upon Member States to continue to contribute to the work of the Working Group, in particular by presenting concrete proposals, practical measures, best practices and lessons learned that will promote and protect the rights and dignity of older persons, in order to enable it to fulfill its mandate».
The Chair of OEWGA has asked Member States to submit their input (ie. concrete proposals, practical measures, best practices and lessons learned) by 30th May 2015. This is in order to facilitate an exchange of views during the 6th session of the OEWGA, tentatively scheduled for 13-16 July 2015.
Why is this important?
This is a key moment in the process towards a convention. It is critical that a number of Member States submit concrete proposals on the contents of a convention to both demonstrate their support for a convention and to keep the process moving forward.
What We Can Do
As members of GAROP we have an important role to play in encouraging and supporting our Governments to submit proposals on a convention. Given the deadline, you might like to set up a meeting in April with your contacts in Government to:
Share this information on the OEWGA process
Share what older people say about discrimination and human rights as captured in the GAROP consultation report In Our Own Words
Encourage your Government to consider submitting a proposal on the contents of a convention
As civil society, we would like to make suggestions about what should be on this agenda. Please send us your suggestions, particularly for human rights issues that have not yet been covered in previous OEWGA sessions.
Sir William Beveridge Foundation in Bangladesh announced the approval of the National Policy of Older Persons by the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as well as the initial stages of a Foundation for the Older Persons.
Community Action for Progress (CAP) Sierra Leone had a successful year in 2014 campaigning for the rights of older people, holding leadership skills training sessions for older people to contribute to their communities, and much more.
The Global Salvation Ministry Foundation in Ghana organized a programme under the theme ‘Bringing hope to the aged’ to desist from stigmatizing and discriminating against the aged.
Members interested in highlighting organizational achievements in the GAROP Newsletter are invited to send any articles, reports or initiatives to info@rightsofolderpeople.org