Il valore aggiunto di una convenzione internazionale sulla protezione delle persone anziane

There are no binding human rights instruments that focus on the rights of older persons. Even though existing human rights treaties already provide some protection to the elderly, there can be identified both normative and implementation gaps. Such gaps require a more comprehensive convention that can frame the rights of the affected group more efficiently, also considering that, in the current scenario the applicable rules are scattered among a multitude of legal instruments. This paper aims to examine whether and to what extent the international normative framework currently in force at a universal level can guarantee the protection of the rights of the older component of the population. Then, it evaluates what could be the added value of an ad hoc treaty capable of eliminating the specific forms of discrimination faced by the elderly. The adoption of such a treaty will require lengthy negotiations and will inevitably lead to compromises on many aspects. Nonetheless, such a new treaty, although incomplete in content, could still contribute to changing the current paradigm, removing attitudinal barriers, fostering the perception of elderly people as rights-holders, something that current legislation does not always manage to achieve.