Elderly rights should be enshrined in law, demand MPs

MPs call for international law to protect rights of older persons

More than 40 MPs are urging Foreign Secretary David Lammy to support a new international law that would establish specific human rights for the elderly, similar to the protections already in place for children.

Championed by charity Age UK

The proposed UN treaty aims to set a "global minimum standard of legal protections for older people" to ensure their rights are safeguarded. Currently, while there are global laws protecting children, women, and asylum seekers, there is a lack of similar comprehensive protections for pensioners.

Cross-party support for the treaty

The initiative is being spearheaded by charity Age UK and has garnered support from politicians across the political spectrum. In a letter to Mr. Lammy, the MPs highlighted the importance of recognizing and protecting the rights of older persons, citing the UK's existing institutions such as the NHS and state pension system as examples of support for older individuals.

"It is crucial that we offer our support to this new United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons," the MPs stated in their letter.