Nigeria has called for swift action towards an internationally binding Instrument on the rights of older people.
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Dr Tony Ojukwu SAN, made the call in Geneva, Switzerland, at the 2026 meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group, IGWG, on the rights of older persons.
This is contained in a statement issued by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, the Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages of the commission.
Ojukwu expressed concerns about discrimination, negligence, and violence faced by older persons in society.
The forum was organised by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR, during the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.
Ojukwu aligned with stakeholders in calling for conceptual clarity on ageism and diversified national consultations.
He opined that collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions, NHRIs, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, older persons, and youth is critical to realizing the proposed convention.
The senior advocate of Nigeria, stressed building ownership, sidestepping abstract debates, and securing a globally acclaimed convention for today and tomorrow.
He reassured the forum of Nigeria’s human rights commitment to its citizens and the international community.
He noted that the IGWG’s Rules of Procedure draws from the Open-Ended Working Group, with clear modifications for delegates to follow.
Ojukwu further suggested tasking friendly states or experts with proposing a draft text of the Instrument to form the basis of consultations.
He added, and negotiations by stakeholders, before the July 2026 meeting by the IGWG on rights of older persons.
He emphasised that NHRIs and civil society must remain mainstreamed as society’s “conscience.”
On the other hand, he said, hybrid meetings should be adopted as part of the working methodology of the IGWG in order to prioritize participation of older persons and relevant stakeholders.
He concluded by emphasising on the need to always honour the mantra, “leave no one behind” and “nothing about us without us”, in the spirit of human rights promotion of the rights of older persons.
NAN reports that the IGWG is a dedicated UN body established by the Human Rights Council resolution 58/13 to draft legally binding international instruments aimed at protecting the human rights and dignity of older people.
It addresses gaps in international law, focusing on ageism, abuse, and access to care.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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