The 18th session of the "Talking about the Human Rights of Older Persons" event took place as an online roundtable with the AGAC Global Advisory Group members. This group includes five members representing Europe, Asia, and North America, with expertise from academia, civil society, think tanks, and the medical field. A list of the members of the AGAC Global Advisory Group can be found at AGAC’s official website.
The meeting, held on April 10, was attended by Prof. Thanh Long Giang (National Economics University, Vietnam), Prof. Titti Mattsson (Lund University, Sweden), Dr. Kai Leichsenring (Executive Director, European Center for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Austria), and Ms. Margaret Young (Immediate Past Chair, Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) and Founder, Age Knowble, Canada). AGAC’s Dr. HyeKyung Lee, Executive Director, and Dr. Geun Koh, Operations Director, were also present. During the meeting, the participants discussed their recent research activities and shared perspectives on significant trends and developments regarding the rights of older persons.
Dr. Lee began the session by welcoming the participants and expressing appreciation for their ongoing contributions to AGAC’s projects in recent years. Following Dr. Lee’s opening, Dr. Koh provided an overview of AGAC’s key activities and accomplishments in 2024, which included policy research, organizing the ASEM Forum on the Human Rights of Older Persons: Present and Future, and publishing a special edition of the on “The Framework Act on the Human Rights of Older Persons in Korea: Its Necessity and the Legislative Draft.” Dr. Koh also introduced AGAC’s key activities and main plans for 2025.
By outlining AGAC’s core activities and discussing the advisors’ current research and professional engagements, along with their insights into global trends, the roundtable served as a valuable platform for collaboration. It is expected that the meeting enhanced mutual understanding among the advisors, provided a solid foundation for seeking specific advice and consultations on AGAC’s operations, and facilitated more informed decision-making and increased cooperation.
Prof. Titti Mattsson (Lund University, Sweden)
Prof. Mattsson, a professor of public law at Lund University, Sweden, has extensive experience in various legal fields, including elder law. In recent work, she has been actively engaged in several important initiatives related to the rights of older persons. She contributed to the AGAC Policy Research on elderly suicide in Sweden and delivered a presentation on the digitalization of elderly care in both Sweden and Europe. For the past two and a half years, Prof. Mattsson has served as a board member of the newly established Swedish National Institute of Human Rights. Notably, one of the institute’s first annual reports focused specifically on the rights of older persons.
During her engagement, Prof. Mattsson highlighted several pressing issues in the field of elderly rights. She pointed out the lack of participation of older persons in decision-making processes, noting that their voices are often underrepresented in public surveys and research. Accessibility remains a key barrier, particularly in the digital realm, as Sweden’s high reliance on digital transactions creates challenges for many elderly individuals. Furthermore, Prof. Mattsson emphasized the difficulty in respecting the autonomy and will of elderly persons, especially those living with dementia or cognitive impairments, within current decision-making frameworks.
Regarding the broader context in Sweden, Prof. Mattsson called for the elimination of legal discrimination by removing age-based limits and language from existing legislation. She also expressed optimism about recent progress at the UN Human Rights Council towards developing an international convention on the rights of older persons, underscoring the importance of continued global dialogue on this issue.
Looking ahead, Prof. Mattsson proposed several key suggestions for the future. These include the development of a national action plan to combat ageism and eradicate discrimination against older persons, increasing the participation of older individuals in all areas of policy, and building robust systems that support decision-making for older persons in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
As part of its mandate, the Swedish National Institute of Human Rights continues to conduct research on a range of human rights issues, including those affecting older persons, and contributes policy recommendations to enhance the protection of their rights. Prof. Mattsson also stressed the importance of international cooperation, particularly active engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, in shaping a global convention on the rights of older persons.
Dr. Kai Leichsenring (Executive Director, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Austria)
Dr. Leichsenring began his presentation by reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the European Centre, highlighting its recent activities and current focus on the social rights of older persons. One key project centers on developing diversity-sensitive care approaches for older people with migrant backgrounds, in collaboration with partners in Sweden, Italy, and Belgium. This initiative has produced free, multilingual training materials for health and social care professionals, especially in long-term care settings.
He also introduced an ongoing project in Austria that surveys older persons affected by violence and abuse. Given the topic's sensitivity, the team is developing new definitions and tools from scratch, including handbooks and questionnaires for both qualitative and quantitative data, aiming to establish a methodology for future surveys.
Another project, commissioned by the Swedish government, explores the sustainability of professionalized care systems, emphasizing the often-overlooked role of informal carers. The study analyzes international caregiving patterns and offers recommendations for better supporting informal care.
Dr. Leichsenring also mentioned recent publications, such as the updated Facts and Figures on Healthy Ageing and Long-Term Care, WHO-supported Care Dividend, and a 50th anniversary discussion paper titled Caring Societies and the Future of Long-Term Care. He shared updates on international advocacy, particularly efforts to better include older persons’ rights in the upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development and within the UNECE Standing Working Group on Ageing's next five-year cycle.
He concluded with recent developments in Austria, including a 2023 international conference on older persons’ human rights, traveling exhibition called “STOP. NO VIOLENCE” as a part of awareness campaigns on violence and abuse, and a new initiative titled Refugium, which aims to support domestic caregiving relationships and establish shelters for those in need. Finally, he emphasized the importance of balancing innovation in digital and AI technologies with the need to avoid cost-cutting at the expense of care quality.
Prof. Thanh Long Giang (National Economics University, Vietnam)
Prof. Giang, a professor at the College of Economic and Public Management at the National Economics University in Vietnam, has been actively engaged in research and policy work related to population aging and the rights of older persons. Collaborating with government ministries such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, he noted that Vietnam’s ongoing governmental restructuring has delayed key legislation, including the Law on the Elderly and the Law on Social Health Insurance. Nonetheless, there are efforts to accelerate these reforms from a human rights perspective.
As the lead researcher for Vietnam’s national surveys on the elderly in 2011, 2019, and 2022, Prof. Giang has analyzed various demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related aspects of older persons. His work also explores labor market participation among the elderly, and he contributed to a publication by the Productivity Institute. He also advised on the 2024 revision of the Social Insurance Law, a major step toward strengthening income security for older persons.
Prof. Giang has partnered with international organizations like UNFPA, UNDP, ILO, and ADB, contributing to numerous reports on aging, low fertility, and long-term care. He was involved in establishing a “Care Academy” to build capacity in care services and emphasized the urgency of developing long-term care insurance in Vietnam.
Despite achieving over 98% health insurance coverage, around 40% of older persons in Vietnam still lack pensions or social protection, particularly vulnerable groups such as rural elderly, women, and those over 80. Most long-term care is provided informally by families, resulting in disparities in quality and access.
Social isolation is also a growing concern. While organizations like the Vietnam Women’s Union and the Association of the Elderly promote social inclusion, older people with disabilities still face participation barriers. Legally, although age discrimination is prohibited, age-based employment restrictions persist. Prof. Giang advocates for replacing such practices with performance-based evaluations.
He also underscored the importance of digital literacy and lifelong learning to prevent older persons from being left behind in the digital age. With Vietnam projected to reach nearly 20 million elderly people by 2030, he emphasized the urgent need to build infrastructure, workforce, and funding for a comprehensive social protection system that upholds older persons’ rights.
Ms. Margaret Young (Immediate Past Chair, Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) and Founder, Age Knowble, Canada)
In this presentation, Ms. Young introduced one of the Age Knowble’s projects addressed the intersectional human rights issues of older adults, particularly emphasizing the rights of older women and elderly individuals with disabilities, among others from various social backgrounds. The key focus of the presentation was the concept of ageism, but even more important was the issue of age discrimination, which is not just confined to behaviors or events, but extends to human rights issues. In relation to this, Ms. Young introduced several projects conducted in different countries that address the human rights of older adults.
She introduced several international projects aimed at protecting the rights of older persons. One such initiative from Canada involved interviews with activists from various countries, including cases dealing with elderly individuals with dementia in Australia and older persons with disabilities in Kenya. These examples revealed the complex social, economic, and legal challenges that elderly individuals face. The findings from this project are scheduled to be published as a podcast and an e-book, with the goal of providing rich evidence and fostering deeper discussion on the human rights of older adults.
Ms. Young also shared insights from the 2024 meeting of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing. There, strategies to reinforce the human rights of older persons were discussed, and 11 recommended response options were proposed to address the "age discrimination gap." These were formally submitted to the UN General Assembly, leading to the adoption of a resolution to establish a working group tasked with drafting a legally binding human rights instrument. While this initiative received broad support, some member states raised concerns about the lack of sufficient evidence and funding, and participation from Asian countries remained relatively low—highlighting the need for increased regional engagement moving forward.
In the Canadian context, Ms. Young highlighted issues such as age discrimination in employment and access to health insurance for those over the age of 65, noting that some elderly individuals were unable to receive the benefits they were entitled to. She emphasized the importance of recognizing intersectional discrimination, advocating for policy measures that reflect the diverse realities of an aging society. The involvement of human rights organizations, NGOs, and older adults themselves was underscored as essential for real progress. Using the phrase “from paper to people,” she stressed the importance of ensuring that international agreements lead to concrete improvements in the daily lives of older persons.
The resolution will now proceed through three working group meetings led by governments, and Ms. Young emphasized that the active support and engagement of individual countries will be key to its success. She concluded by reiterating that while progress is being made, more must be done—especially in regions like Asia—to strengthen global support for the human rights of older persons.