Older people around the world are calling for their rights to be better protected, according to a new report from Age International.
All our rights: Hearing from older people across the world brings together the experiences and views of older people in the UK and internationally. Its message is clear: growing older should never mean losing our rights, our independence or our voice.
The report highlights some of the issues that matter most to older people, including being treated with dignity and respect, having access to affordable health and social care, financial security, safe and suitable housing, and being able to have a say in decisions that affect our lives.
Digital exclusion is also highlighted as an important issue in the UK. Older people told Age International that they do not want to be forced into using digital services and that alternatives, including telephone, face-to-face and assisted services, should remain available.
The report comes as work towards a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons gathers pace. In April 2025, the UN Human Rights Council agreed to begin drafting a new legally binding instrument on the rights of older people.
Age International and Age UK are calling for older people to be directly involved in shaping the Convention, summed up by the principle: “nothing about us, without us.”
For CSPA, that message is particularly important. Older people should be listened to, treated as equals and able to make choices about their own lives, whatever their age.
