AAG Challenging Ageism SIG Presents:
A UN Convention on the Human Rights of Older Persons:
Updates and Future Developments

Information about the background, current standing and the role that
individuals and organisations can play in advancing advocacy

We plan to record this event and make that recording
available to all registrants subsequently
If you can't make it on the day we encourage you to register
anyway so that you receive that link

Access to the recording in our video library will be
restricted to AAG members and webinar registrants

This webinar will share critical updates on the UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, exploring the current status of this vital international framework and its potential impact on combating ageism globally. The Convention represents a significant step in protecting older people's rights and addressing age-based discrimination at an international level.

During this session, participants will gain valuable insights from Marcus Riley on the convention process, learn from Andrew Byrne about the drafting process and its implications for challenging ageism, and hear from Susan Cochrane about practical ways service providers can advance advocacy efforts. This overview will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to engage effectively with this important international development. 

Register for this event and:

• Learn about the current UN Convention on Older Persons process
  
• Understand how international frameworks can challenge systemic ageism globally
  
• Explore practical advocacy roles for individuals and service providers
  
• Develop strategies to contribute to rights-based ageing initiatives

Hear from our speakers:  

Marcus Riley
Director
Global Ageing Network
Marcus Riley, a champion of positive ageing, offers 25 years of transformative leadership in health and ageing.  Marcus is Director of the Global Ageing Network, Chairman of BallyCara and Founding Director of the Booming Ageing Agency.  Marcus also serves as the Asia-Pacific Lead for the United Nation’s Stakeholder Group on Ageing and is a representative to the UN on global ageing and the rights of older people, he is the author of two books and produces the podcast ‘Booming’.

Dr Susan Cochrane
National Policy Manager
Relationships Australia
Dr Susan Cochrane is the National Policy Manager of Relationships Australia.  She has worked in private legal practice and for almost two decades across a variety of roles in the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department. As a senior advisor to then Attorney-General, Senator the Hon George Brandis KC, she was led work on key reforms including policies to address abuse and neglect of older people and marriage equality legislation. Since 2018, Susan has worked for Relationships Australia as National Policy Manager.

Professor Andrew Byrnes
Emeritus Professor of International Law and Human Rights
UNSW Sydney
Professor Andrew Byrnes is Emeritus Professor of International Law and Human Rights at UNSW Sydney. He has written and taught in many areas of international and national human rights law, including equality and non-discrimination, bills of rights, the rights of persons with disabilities and human rights in older age. He served as inaugural external legal adviser to the Australian Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and currently serves on the boards of Seniors Rights Service (NSW) and of the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), as is co=chair of OPAN’s Human Rights Advisory Group. He is also a member of the National Human Rights Committee of the Law Council of Australia and is one of the co-founders of the Rights of Older Persons Australia network (ROPA).

Session co-chaired by:

A/Prof Rachel Ambagtsheer
Research Fellow
Centre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing (PHEHF)
Torrens University
Co-Convenor of the AAG Challenging Ageism Special Interest Group (SIG)
Rachel is a Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Health at Torrens University. She has more than 20 years’ experience working in the health field, as a researcher, planner and consultant to all levels of government and the private and not-for-profit sectors.

Dr Bethany Wilton-Harding
Research Fellow
College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Flinders University
Co-Convenor of the AAG Challenging Ageism Special Interest Group (SIG)
Bethany is a research fellow in psychology at Flinders University. Her research interests include ageism, subjective ageing, and mental wellbeing in middle-aged and older adults.

Q&A Hosted by:

Keryn Curtis
AAG Board member
Keryn Curtis is a consultant writer and communication and engagement specialist who has specialised in ageing across a number of roles for the last 20 years. From 2016-2020 she worked at The Benevolent Society developing the coalition-led EveryAGE Counts campaign against ageism. She was previously a journalist and founding editor of Australian Ageing Agenda magazine and website. She is a passionate advocate for the rights of older people and is personally part of a fledgling "seniors' co-housing project in Sydney's inner west called The AGEncy Project.