The European Green Seniors have been part of the European Green Party Council for the past five years – as observers. They present their political programmes for older people to a green public and discuss important topics for the future of aging. The ENGS deals with pension systems, questions about the quality of life in old age, political representation, social politics, the fight against poverty in old age and numerous other focal points
ENGS’ task and aim is to make green politics for old age distinctive and efficient und thus enable future generations to live an old age worth living and secure. Therefore, it is our primary aim to change our status in the EGP from observer to fullmembership, with a seat and a vote.
We like to present you our
Declaration of Senior Citizens’ Rights
(The texts in italics are explanations and refer in part to the 30 paragraphs of the Human Rights Convention)
• Paragraph 1)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to live according to the Declaration of International Human Rights. Senior citizens’ rights are explicitly oriented towards the needs of older people.
(human rights)
Paragraph 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person
(Human Rights Convention, 10 December 1948)
• Paragraph 2)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to work (paid or unpaid) and accordingly, to a life-long safeguarded income. Age must not serve as a pretext to oust persons from work processes
(work, income, existence)
Paragraph 23: Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment and to protection against unemployment. (Human Rights Convention, 10 December 1948)
• Paragraph 3)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to an unlimited use of social liberties and to life-long education
(liberty, participation)
Paragraphs 24 to 27:
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being
Everyone has the right to education
Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life
(Human Rights Convention, 10 December 1948)
• Paragraph 4)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to contribute responsibly to an independent social life
(responsibilities)
Every citizen is entitled, according to his/her powers and possibilities, to contribute to support the common good. Contributions that might be used to replace jobs, due to volunteer work for instance, or such contributions that facilitate the liberalization of social services are exempted from this rule.
• Paragraph 5)
Everyone, including old people, has the right, with adequate support, to participate in the cultural and social life. The right to supported mobility must be guaranteed.
(cultural and social participation)
This right includes the elimination of age requirements for activities in the cultural and social fields and the safeguard of mobility in order to lead an independent life.
• Paragraph 6)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to live according to his/her culture and ethnic origin unless the human rights of other persons are affected or infringed upon
(cultural independence)
• Paragraph 7)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to health promotion and health care and also to refuse it consciously. This also includes the right to healthy food and a healthy environment. Everybody, including old people, also has the inalienable right to care.
(health, disease)
This right includes free access to medical preventive and curative care and the financial support and guarantee thereof.
• Paragraph 8
Everyone, including old people, has the right to practice or to refuse religion and to live according to his/her freedom of thought and conscience until the end of his/her life.
(religious practice, freedom of conscience)
Paragraph 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Human Rights Convention, 10 December 1948)
Within the framework of religious belief or faith no actions may be taken that contradict human rights
• Paragraph 9)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to personal protection and social integration until the end of his/her life, guaranteed by the government of his/her country
(national protection, to be aimed for within the EU)
Governments are obliged to guarantee personal protection and social integration until the END OF LIFE, in their government programme, policy statement and body of law.
• Paragraph 10)
Everyone, including old people, has the right to equal status and equality, independent of sex, sexual orientation or belief. (Law against discrimination)
This right also applies to equal allocation, i.e. to be treated equally in the reallocation of financial and/or other resources. This applies especially in case of any impediment in old age.
• Final paragraph
In order for senior citizen rights to be secure and enforceable they have to be part of the constitution
Every constitution must contain the rights and duties of older people according to national legislation. The term ‘old age’ must be determined according to international values (cf. WHO-definition) and must not depend on the ability to work.
Translation: Kitty Weinberger, Austria
