Ken Bluestone is Head of Policy and Influencing at Age International, a charity that helps older people living in some of the world's poorest places to have improved wellbeing and be treated with dignity.

This episode looks at the impact Covid-19 has had on older people recognising that the rights of older people are not adequately protected. We discuss the significant UN Policy Brief on ‘The impact of COVID-19 on older persons’ that was published in May and ask how the international community is responding to the consequences of the crisis.

We ask why there is no international convention on the rights of older people and Ken explores why such an instrument is important to further define and protect the rights of older people, and what rights should be included. Ken also gives some helpful examples where there are positive efforts to eliminate age discrimination from around the world.

Finally, we ask what it takes to be an effective human rights advocate.

Contact information for Ken Bluestone:

• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/ken-bluestone 
• Twitter: @AgeBluestone

Links from the episode:

• Age International, www.ageinternational.org.uk 
• Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP), rightsofolderpeople.org
• Help Age International, www.helpage.org 
• Age Platform Europe, www.age-platform.eu

UN Secretary-General’s Policy Brief: The Impact of COVID-19 on older persons

See also the response to the UN Policy Brief by Age International here: https://www.ageinternational.org.uk/news-features/news/2020/coronavirus2/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-older-persons/ 

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