Page 42 - Bulletin, Vol.81 No.1, May 2022

an elderly person. This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights and
includes physical abuse, as well as sexual, psychological and emotional; financial and
material abuse; abandon; negligence, and a grave loss of dignity and respect.” Have
older persons become invisible? However, local, national and international statistics
prove that this age group is increasing. In a Report dated 2020, the United Nations
Division of Population assessed the world population of over 65 years to 700 million.
This figure should double by 2050 and reach 1.5 billion. When taking into account
different factors – reduction in fecundity, increasing life span, etc. –, the percentage of
world population of 65 years and over has increased by 9% in 2020 to a potential 16%
in 2050. Even when taking into account the so-called “young” countries, in Northern and
Southern Africa, this age range is also increasing. It is true there is a paradox: the more
the aging population increases, the more they become invisible. Except in Africa, Asia
and in particular Japan, the Middle East, where they are respected because of their
age, their experience and their supposed wisdom as opposed to countries in the
Northern hemisphere where they remain unnoticed and the time they are granted and
their opinion have little value.

Which strategy to adopt in order to draft and adopt a UN Convention with the aim of
proclaiming, protecting and promoting the rights of older persons? An initiative from the
civil society – more than 400 international ONG’s gathered together in a World Alliance
for the Rights of the Older Persons (created in 2011) could provide considerable
influence – as was the case many years ago for the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. In addition, one or two Member States could ally, as was the case for the
Convention concerning the Rights of Handicapped Persons which came to being thanks
to the determination of Mexico and New Zealand.

Argentina has already taken action in favour of the rights of older persons through
the efforts of their Ambassador Martin Garcia Moritan, President of the Working Group
responsible for elaborating the Convention. Will a country in another region join forces
with Argentina in order to concretize a Convention so it does not be bogged down and
remind us of the “shroud woven by Penelope”?

40 AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 81 No. 1, 2022-05