E-Paper
Upholding human rights in an ageing world
This article is authored by Aparna Mehrotra.
Every Human Rights Day is a reminder that human rights never expire. Yet as populations age, the promise of universality remains uneven in practice. For many older persons—especially older women—rights that should be inherent often erode quietly, shaped by lifelong inequalities that accumulate into insecurity, isolation and invisibility in later life.
At last month’s Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, governments and experts from every region underscored a transformational shift: Demographic change is no longer a background trend. It is a structural force shaping economies, labour markets, care systems and social cohesion simultaneously. The Summit’s discussions made clear that ageing, gender equality and inclusion must be understood together—not as parallel agendas, but as interconnected foundations of sustainable development.
A key insight resonated across panels: What happens to us at 60 is shaped by what happens after 16. The capacity to age with dignity depends on opportunities earlier in life—education, decent work, access to health care, and the recognition of unpaid care that so many women shoulder for decades. It is this life-course accumulation that helps explain why, by mid-century, nearly one in three women globally will be over 50, and yet too many are projected to reach later life with limited income security, reduced social participation, and inadequate protection from violence or neglect.
India’s experience reflects these global dynamics. As one of the fastest-ageing countries, with a projected doubling of its older population by 2050, India brings deep traditions of intergenerational living and shared responsibility. These social bonds remain a strength. At the same time, internal migration, changing livelihoods, and evolving family structures are reshaping how support is given and received. The Summit’s deliberations illustrated that this shift is not unique to India but part of a wider global pattern in which demographic realities are changing faster than the systems built to sustain them.
The Doha discussions also highlighted a universal concern: loneliness and social isolation are emerging as significant public-health and social-development challenges, disproportionately affecting older women who are more likely to live alone and to outlive their sources of economic and social support. Delegates reaffirmed what the WHO Commission on Social Connection has already demonstrated—social connection is a determinant of health and dignity, not an optional extra.
A notable strand of the Summit focused on the intersection of ageing with women’s economic security. Across regions, evidence showed persistent gaps in labour force participation, wage inequality, informal work and unpaid care responsibilities. These disadvantages accumulate over decades, contributing to the global gender pension gap and leaving older women under-protected in precisely the phase of life where security matters most. Inequality, not ageing, is the crisis.
The Summit also advanced a conversation of global significance: the ongoing process toward a potential international convention on the rights of older persons. Many States noted that while existing human rights treaties apply to all, the absence of a dedicated framework has left older persons without the clarity, visibility and accountability needed in a rapidly ageing world. A new instrument—still under Member State consideration—could help close these gaps by articulating the rights of older persons more explicitly and by supporting countries in translating commitments into consistent rights-based practice.
These debates take on particular meaning in a country like India, where demographic transformation intersects with rapid urbanisation, rising longevity and growing demand for health, care, and social protection systems. The innovations emerging across India—community-based services, digital health platforms, and pension expansions in some states—demonstrate that progress is possible when systems evolve with demographic realities. They also reinforce a larger truth: Ageing is not a crisis; the crisis is the inequality that shapes how we age.
Across Doha, one sentiment was repeated: to age well, people must first live well—across every stage of the life course. This means embedding gender equality and social inclusion early and consistently, strengthening data systems to make older women visible in budgets and policies, and building environments where intergenerational solidarity is cultivated rather than assumed.
On this Human Rights Day, as the world reflects on the meaning of dignity and justice, the rights of older persons stand out not as a niche concern, but as a vital marker of societal progress. Upholding these rights is an investment in the future—one that ensures today’s young people can grow old in societies that value security, equality and mutual care.
Human rights do not diminish with age. Societies that honour this principle—through policy, recognition, and foresight—will be better prepared for the demographic realities ahead, and stronger for generations to come.
This article is authored by Aparna Mehrotra, director, UN System Coordination Division, UN Women and senior executive advisor on Ageing and Saachi Singh, consultant, UN Women.
