On September 4, Dr. Chitralekha Massey, Chief of Section for the Rights of Older Persons at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), visited the ASEM Global Ageing Center (AGAC).

During the visit, AGAC and OHCHR exchanged views on the importance of developing a legally binding instrument (LBI) on the human rights of older persons, currently under discussion by the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) in Geneva. AGAC and OHCHR also shared the view that greater participation from the Asian region is important to this process and discussed potential avenues for cooperation to strengthen the region’s engagement.

Dr. Massey had previously participated as a speaker at the 6th ASEM Forum on the Human Rights of Older Persons: Present and Future, held on September 2. The visit provided an opportunity for Dr. Massey and AGAC to further discuss areas of cooperation to promote and protect the human rights of older persons.

As an organization dedicated to advancing the human rights of older persons across Asia and Europe, AGAC looks forward to continued dialogue and cooperation with OHCHR. AGAC will also follow developments in the Intergovernmental Working Group’s discussions on the development of a legally binding instrument on the human rights of older persons, with a particular interest in opportunities to further reflect perspectives and contributions from the Asian region.