Older Persons, the Sustainable Development Goals, and Human Rights

Abstract

In 2015, the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (‘SDGs’) set new goals and targets for global health and set out the goal to leave no one behind. With populations ageing in many countries, there is a clear need for the interests of older persons to be recognised as a priority in the work towards achieving the SDGs. This article considers the intersection between the SDGs and human rights and how each may contribute to advancing the rights of older persons. It analyses the relevance of the SDGs for older persons, contemporary debates on the rights of older persons, and the importance of data being disaggregated by age.