The NGO Committee on Ageing NY, works to raise world awareness of the opportunities and challenges of global ageing.
The Committee advocates within the United Nations ecosystem to further integrate ageing into UN policies and programs and encourages member states to include ageing needs in social, human rights, and economic policy
The goal of the Committee is to further the United Nations mission of building a society for all ages.
The issue of ageing was first addressed in 1948, when the Economic and Social Council conducted a world-wide study on ageing.
The first major speech on older persons was made in the General Assembly in 1969.
Two years later, a resolution was adopted requesting the Secretary General to investigate the ageing situation in the world. At the time, the Ageing Unit was established within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and a number of UN studies followed.
The findings of these reports provided startling demographic projections. It suggested that between 1970 and the turn of the century, the developed regions of the world would see a 50% increase in the number of older citizens. For less developed countries, the increase was projected to be 150%. It eventually gave rise to the birth of the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York.
In 1982, the First United Nations World Assembly on Ageing (WAA) was held in Vienna. The NGO Committees on Ageing in New York and Vienna provided input and leadership into this historic event and the document, “The International Plan of Action on Ageing.”
The General Assembly, in December 1990, endorsed an action programme on ageing for 1992 and beyond as outlined in the report of the Secretary-General and designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons. This day is commemorated each year by a special event at the United Nations Headquarters, led in part by the Committee. Appreciating the tremendous diversity in the situation of older persons in December 1991, the General Assembly crafted the 18 point “Principles for Older Persons.”
Noting the unprecedented ageing of populations taking place throughout the world, the General Assembly adopted a Proclamation on Ageing at its 42nd plenary meeting, 16 October 1992, and declared the year 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons. Due to a heightened interest in ageing, in 2000 the General Assembly called for a Second World Assembly on Ageing, which was held in Madrid, Spain in April. 2002.
The NGO Committee on Ageing played a major role in the parallel NGO World Forum for the Second World Assembly on Ageing (WAA), held in 2002 in Spain, attended by roughly 3,500 individuals, representing nearly 1000 organizations from 116 countries. In addition, the Committee participated in reviewing the language of what became known as the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA).
The Committee continues to have a position in the development of the Berlin Regional Implementation Strategy (ECE Region), which followed the Second World Assembly. The NGO Committee in New York maintains contact with its sister Committees in Vienna and Geneva, and sustains a cooperative relationship with other NGO committees which work on diverse and cross-cutting issues. The Committee’s regular monthly programs address leading-edge issues as diverse as elder abuse, sustainable development, employment, multigenerational relationships, and HIV/AIDS.
In its ongoing efforts the Committee continues to develop relationships with UN Missions and Secretariat Focal Points on Ageing and participates in various UN conferences, briefings, seminars and meetings, bringing to the attention of member states, governments and civil society the vital importance of the demographics of ageing and contingent issues.
Since 2002, the NGO Committee on Ageing NY has continued and expanded its advocacy, programming, and partnership roles in the UN ageing / older persons space.
In the lead-up to the post-2015 development agenda, the Committee became actively engaged in ensuring that ageing and older persons’ issues would be included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A subcommittee composed of member NGOS was formed in early 2013 to coordinate contributions, advocacy, and interventions towards the Sustainable Developemnt Goals (SDGs.)
The COVID-19 crisis highlighted structural vulnerabilities of older persons globally. The Committee’s programming on pandemic impacts suggests a pivot toward resilience, health, and disaster preparedness themes.
With the newly adopted 2025 resolution in the Human Rights Council to draft a binding instrument on older persons’ rights, the Committee (as civil society actor) has an opportunity to play an influential role in the next drafting and negotiation phase. Ensuring that older persons’ issues remain visible and integrated in global development, health, climate, digital exclusion, migration, human rights, and intergenerational policy agendas will likely continue to be a major institutional focus going forward.
