STATEMENT
Open-ended intergovernmental working group for the elaboration of a legally binding instrument on the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons
Second session 26–30 October 2026 Geneva, Palais des Nations, Room XII
Item 3: General Debate
Statement delivered by Mr. Martin TORBERGSEN - Minister Counsellor, Human Rights. The Permanent Mission of Norway.
Check against delivery
26 October 2026
Chair,
Norway thanks the Working Group for its efforts and for facilitating an open and constructive exchange of views.
Norway agrees that older persons face specific human rights challenges. The main philosophy underlying Norway's social protection system is universal coverage against all traditional social security risks, aiming to provide financial security throughout the different stages of life.
As in many countries, older persons constitute a growing share of the population in Norway. In response, we have developed policies aimed at creating a more age-friendly society, including measures to enable people to live independently at home for longer and the use of new technologies to promote participation, autonomy and well-being.
Norway has also put in place legal protections against age discrimination, including through the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act and labor legislation, as well as a range of general and targeted measures designed to address challenges faced by older persons.
Chair
Norway’s starting point is that human rights are universal. If we are to establish a new convention, it should demonstrate clear added value. We should avoid duplication of existing human rights. We should also avoid the potential weakening of their universal character.
Existing human rights instruments already provide important protection for older persons. The Human Rights Committee has established that article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights covers age discrimination, while the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, also offer relevant safeguards.
Chair,
The most pressing challenge we face in international human rights work is one of implementation of existing norms. The international human rights machinery is severely underfunded. The resources available to the OHCHR, the Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures have shrunk to a bare minimum. In this situation, resources should be directed towards closing the implementation gap - towards making existing rights a reality in people’s daily lives.
Norway also notes that questions involving the allocation of public resources between different age groups are closely linked to national democratic processes and policy choices. Considerations of subsidiarity and democratic accountability suggest that such decisions should primarily remain the responsibility of individual states.
We further observe that older persons are a highly diverse group, and that states differ significantly in their economic circumstances, social systems and cultural contexts. This diversity can make it challenging to develop global rules that are both sufficiently precise and broadly applicable.
Chair,
Norway has not yet taken a position on the question of a new convention. However, we believe that any future political decision would benefit from a thorough examination of the issues just mentioned, and we encourage the Working Group to continue its consideration of them.
Thank you.