Protecting rights, challenging ageism, and promoting dignity at every stage of life.
As the global population continues to age, there is an urgent need to protect the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of current and future older people, empowering them to meaningfully contribute, and their continued participation in all aspects of society. According to the World Health Organization, one in two people hold ageist attitudes, shaping how they think, feel, and act towards individuals on the basis of age. Older persons are frequently marginalised and overlooked by society, facing systemic disadvantage, inequality, limited social protection, and ageism.
Human rights and the elimination of ageism are central to the work of the International Federation on Ageing (IFA). Rooted in civil society and holding general consultative status with the United Nations, the IFA advances the rights of current and future generations of older people through coordinated advocacy, formal submissions, and high-level engagement with governments and UN bodies.
The IFA has a long history of advocating for the recognition and protection of the rights of older persons, contributing to the development of instruments such as the UN Principles for Older Persons, the Madrid International Action Plan on Ageing (MIPAA) and supporting the integration of ageing across the Sustainable Development Goals.
The IFA is also a founding member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP), a global network of more than 400 civil society organisations committed to securing a legally binding international instrument to protect and promote the rights of older persons.
IFA continues to champion strong legal and policy frameworks that safeguard the rights of older people and ensure their meaningful inclusion across all human rights agendas. This includes advancing the right to decent work and social protection, strengthening protections for older women, promoting accessible housing and inclusive communities, and supporting the delivery of person-centred, rights-based care. The IFA also promotes intergenerational solidarity as a key strategy to combat ageism and build more inclusive societies.
On April 3, 2025, after more than a decade of advocacy, the United Nations Human Rights Council began an intergovernmental process to draft an international human rights treaty on older people.
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