31/01/2025 Session
PACE has urged member States to take concrete measures to combat age-based discrimination against older persons, emphasising that human rights should not diminish with age. Recognising that ageism is deeply rooted in society and affects all aspects of life—including access to healthcare, financial services, and employment—PACE called for a paradigm shift towards “a human rights-based approach” to ageing.
Adopting a resolution based on the report by Andrea Eder-Gitschthaler (Austria, EPP/CD), the Assembly denounced the discrimination faced by older persons, stressing that “ageism—defined as stereotypes, prejudice, and discriminatory practices on the basis of age—reinforces the perception that inequalities and discrimination against older persons are natural or inevitable, which is not the case.” The Assembly highlighted that the current legal framework in many countries does not provide the same level of protection against age-based discrimination as it does for other forms of discrimination, calling for urgent reforms.
PACE called on member States to review legislation to explicitly prohibit age-based discrimination, modify or repeal discriminatory laws, and ensure that equality bodies are empowered to address these cases of discrimination. It urged governments to promote intergenerational solidarity, provide equal access to digital technologies, and combat stereotypes through education and awareness-raising campaigns. “Older persons should have the rights, resources, and facilities allowing them to remain full members of society,” the parliamentarians stated.
Finally, the Assembly supported efforts at the United Nations level to establish stronger international protections for older persons and welcomed initiatives such as the Global Campaign to Combat Ageism. It encouraged governments to participate actively in these efforts to eliminate ageism and ensure that older persons are treated as “rights holders rather than simply as beneficiaries of care.”