Abstract
As the world’s population continues to age, our social, economic and political policies fall short of keep up with the changing demographics. Older men and women surviving to age 60 can expect to live 18 and 21 years longer respectively. The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), a plan passed by the General Assembly in 2002, delineates recommendations for Members States of the United Nations to follow in their efforts to mainstream the needs of older persons in their development agenda. The central subject of this chapter is age discrimination in the workforce written in the context of MIPAA, notably Priority Area (1) older persons and development; and (2) ensuring enabling and supportive environments. Age discrimination continues to be a challenge for older persons; stereotypical narratives of older workers, bias against an older person’s capability, arguments that pit younger workers against older workers and abusive and subliminal practices by employers discourage older workers. Nevertheless, governments, employers and older persons themselves are recognizing the social and economic impact age discrimination is having in the workplace. Cognizant of the economic implications, governments in Canada and the United States have enacted legislation that would enforce existing policies or develop new laws (for further discussion on this, see Chap. 9). Some employers acknowledging the skills and talent that is lost when an employee retires, are rehiring their older staff members to mentor the younger workers. And older persons themselves informed of their rights are fighting back and working with young people to ensure that development policies are inclusive to all groups (Gray Panthers Action Network 2012).
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bazalgette, L., Holden, J., Hubble, N., Morrison, J., & Tew, P. (2011). Coming of age. DEMOS. Retrieved on April 23, 2011, from http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Coming_of_Age_-_web.pdf?1302099024
Brady, D. & Coy, P. (2005). Old. Smart. Productive. Surprise! The greying of the workforce is better than you think. Business Week. Cover story, 1–5. Retrieved on April 23, 2011, from http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/05_26/b3939001_mz001.htm?chan=gl
Dennis, H., & Thomas, K. (2007). Ageism in the workplace. The American Society on Aging, Generations XXXI(1):84–89. Retrieved fromhttp://www.asaging.org/publications/dbase/GEN/Gen.31_1.Dennis.pdf
Duchesne, D. (2004). More seniors at work. Perspectives, Statistics Canada-Catalogue no.75-001-XIE, 5–16. Retrieved on May 5, 2011, from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/10204/6789-eng.htm
Ferrao, V. & Marshall, K. (2007). Perspectives on labour and income: Participation of older workers. Statistics Canada. Ontario: Canada Government Printing Office. Retrieved on May 5, 2011, from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2007108/article/10303-eng.htm
Frazis, H., Gittleman, M., Horrigan, M., & Joyce, M. (1998). Results from the 1995 survey of employer-provided training. Monthly Labor Review, 121(6), 3–13.
Gray Panthers Action Network. (2012). Gray Panthers age and youth in action. Retrieved on March 12, 2012, from http://graypanthers.e-actionmax.com.
Johnson, R. W. (2007). Managerial attitudes toward older workers: A view of the evidence. The Urban Institute, The Retirement Project (Discussion Paper Series 07-05). Retrieved May 16, on http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411548_managerial_attitudes.pdf
Kelly, P. (2005). Integration and participation of older persons in development. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN Secretariat (pp. 1–39). Retrieved on April 23, 2011, from http://www.un.org/ageing/documents/papers/Integration_participation.pdf
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2003, November 10–18). Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the international covenant on economic, social, and cultural rights. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Thirty-Fifth Session, Geneva. Item 3 of the Provisional Agenda. Retrieved July 15, 2011, from http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/b0756d872169c1a6c1256dd7003893f0?Opendocument
Sánchez Rivera, S. J. (2010). Worldwide ageing: findings, norms, and aspirations. Retrieved on June 14, 2011, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/39478479/11/C-An-Ageing-World-Population-and-Migration
Sidhu, G. (2007). Intergovernmental negotiations and decision making at the United Nations: A guide (2nd ed.). New York: United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS).
The Special Senate Committee on Aging. (2009) Canada’s aging population: Seizing the opportunity. Retrieved on May 5, 2011, from www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/…/senate/…/AgingFinalReport-e.pdf
United Kingdom Department for Work and Pensions. (2011). Age positive good practice case studies: Managing without a fixed retirement age. London, UK. Retrieved on May 15, 2011, from www.dwp.gov.uk/…/good-practice-managing-without-fixed-retirement-age.pdf
United Nations. (2003). Second world assembly on ageing, political declaration and Madrid international plan of action on ageing, 2002. New York: United Nations Department of Public Information.
United Nations Association in Canada. (1999). The United Nations and the question of ageing. Retrieved on June 14, 2011, from http://www.unac.org/iyop/unquest.html
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. (2009). Population ageing and development 2009. Retrieved on June 14, 2011, from http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/ageing/ageing2009chart.pdf
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Programme on Ageing. (2000). Envisioning the 2nd world assembly on ageing: April 2002, Address by H.E. Julia, T. Alvarez, Ambassador/Permanent representative of the dominican republic to the United Nations, New York, From Vienna to Madrid. Retrieved on July 15, 2011, from http://social.un.org/index/Ageing/InternationalDayofOlderPersons/2000/JuliaTAlvarezAmbassadorDominicanRepublic.aspx
United Nations General Assembly. (2010). Follow-up to the second world assembly on ageing, report of the Secretary-General. Sixty Fifth Session, Social Development: Follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons: Second World Assembly on Ageing, July 22, 2010. Retrieved on July 18, 2011, from www.un.org/ageing/…/A%2065_158/A%2065%20158%20En.pdf
Van Dooren, M. I. (2003). The right to work, office of the high commission for human rights (pp. 1–7). Retrieved on May 15, 2011, from http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/b0756d872169e1a6c1256dd7003893f0?
Venne, R. (2005). Mainstreaming the concerns of older persons into the social development agenda. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN Secretariat (pp. 1–5). Retrieved on May 16, 2011, from http://www.un.org/ageing/documents/mainstreaming/positionpaper.pdf
Zelenev, S. (2007) The Madrid plan: A comprehensive agenda for an ageing world. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Programme on Ageing, UN Secretariat. Retrieved on June 14, 2011, from social.un.org/index/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket = jpOj8HtfwHU%3D&tabid
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Caldera, D.G. (2013). Older Workers and Human Rights: National and International Policies and Realities. In: Brownell, P., Kelly, J. (eds) Ageism and Mistreatment of Older Workers. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5521-5_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5521-5_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-5520-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-5521-5
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawSocial Sciences (R0)