Contemporary Human Rights Law and Ageism

Abstract

The continuously and dynamically growing number of older persons worldwide experience various types of exclusion, negligence, isolation, degrading treatment, elder abuse and the deprivation of a long list of their human rights. Regardless of residence and standard of living in a given country, older adults are the most excluded from the mainstream. Just as racism or sexism leads to a violation of the dignity and rights of people of a different race or gender, so ageism has a similar effect. Therefore, combating ageism is a challenge to international human rights law. This chapter is based on the core human rights treaties and the latest developments of the international community in combating ageism. Selected human universal and regional rights treaties along with soft law documents are analysed. The activities of the human rights bodies, including the independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, are also reviewed as the author focuses on human rights law in action. The author intends to indicate the untapped potential of states’ current international obligations, international mechanisms and gaps in addressing ageism at the international forum.