Department of Health and Human Services
Administration on Aging

International Aging

International & National Principles, Rights and Responsibilities of Older Persons

The U.N. General Assembly declared 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons. A key focus of the year was the implementation of the UN Principles for Older Persons adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1991. As with many UN documents, the UN Principles have many antecedents. The most immediate, the Declaration of Rights and Responsiblities was developed by the International Federation on Ageing, a non-profit organization. However, this Declaration, too, built on the numerous declarations designed for both community-dwelling older persons and those living in institutional care that had been developed by different groups around the world.

This section, compiled by the American Association of Retired Persons, includes the UN Principles, and some of the noteworthy declarations that have been adopted elsewhere. These are provided to you for both information purposes and do not necessary reflect the views of the U.S. Government. The are reproduced in the language of the country of origin and are public documents. If you know of any other important declarations of the rights of older persons, please send this information to: cnusberg@aarp.org

International Statements

• UN Principles for Older Persons
  • English
  • Français
  • español
    
    
• IFA Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities
  • English
  • Français
  • español
    
    
• Argentinian Draft Resolution on a Declaration of Old Age Rights
  
  
• The Rights of Older Persons in Relation to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  
  
• International Labour Conference Recommendation 162 Concerning Older Workers
  
  
• Proclamation of Senior Citizens Rights of the International Senior Citizens Association
  

Regional Statements

• A Charter of Rights for the Elderly in Europe
  
  
• Excerpts from the European Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers
  
  
• Projecto de Declaracion de los Derechos del Adulto Mayor
  
  
• THE OLDER PERSON´S CHARTER OF STANDARDS (PDF)
  
  
• Federation Europeenne des Retraites et Personnes Agees: Charter of Rights of Dependent Persons
  
  
• Latin American Declaration (PDF)

National Statements

• A Charter of Rights for the Elderly in Europe
  
  
• Derechos humanos de las personas mayores en Chile
  
  
• A Bill of Rights for Older People in Scotland
  
  
• Charters of Rights for the Elderly in Ireland
  
  
• A Charter for the Aged in South Africa
  
  
• A Charter of Rights and Freedoms of Older People in Belgium
  
  
• Charter of Rights to Community Care for Older People in the United Kingdom
  
  
• A Declaration of Intent for Pensioners in the United Kingdom
  
• Italy
  
  • Charter of Rights and Needs of Elderly Women (PDF)
    
    
  • The Rights of Women in the Association (PDF)
    
    
• Mexican Declaration (PDF)

Rights of Residents in Institutional Care

• Nursing Home Residents' Rights in the United States
  
  
• Charter of Residents' Rights and Responsibilities in Australia
  
  
• Charte des droits et libertés de la personne âgée dépendante en France
  
  
• Charte des droits de la personne âgée dépendante en Luxembourg