Kuwait on Tuesday, at the start of the second session of the intergovernmental working group on the human rights of older persons, which is being held from October 26 to 30 in Geneva, announced its full support for international efforts to draft a binding international treaty aimed at promoting and protecting the human rights of the elderly globally.
The Necessity of Drafting an International Treaty
Hayan Suleiman Al-Sultan, Third Secretary of the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, stated during this session that such a document is crucial for filling existing protective gaps. He emphasized that this treaty should be based on a comprehensive human rights framework and clearly outline the responsibilities of states to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of the elderly, while respecting existing differences in national laws.
Ensuring the Security and Rights of the Elderly
Al-Sultan called for explicit legal guarantees to protect the elderly from violence, neglect, and exploitation, and emphasized the need to ensure autonomy, legal capacity, healthcare services, social support, access to justice, and specialized care in emergencies and during the digital transformation.
Reviewing Kuwait's progress, Al-Sultan referred to the completion of a national strategy for the elderly developed in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and emphasized strengthening institutional monitoring mechanisms. He also highlighted the use of existing national and multilateral frameworks for implementing this treaty and preventing repetitive reporting, stressing the prioritization of international cooperation and capacity building.
Hope for Balanced Agreements
Al-Sultan expressed hope that consensus-based negotiations would lead to a balanced international convention with enforceable commitments for the protection of the elderly globally. This convention could serve as an effective legal tool in improving the living conditions of the elderly in various countries and help secure their fundamental rights.
Given the growing trend of the elderly population in many countries around the world, drafting such a treaty could strengthen human rights and ensure the social security of this vulnerable group. By supporting this global initiative, Kuwait plays its role in promoting human rights and helps address existing challenges in this area.
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