Poverty, older persons and human rights

Andrew Byrnes

Chapter 8 in Research Handbook on Human Rights and Poverty, 2026, pp 131-147 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter outlines the emergence of ageing populations around the world and examines how one defines ‘older persons’ in the context of poverty and human rights and outlines the different measures of poverty that are utilised. It then describes the patterns of poverty that exist among older populations; they vary significantly from country to country and between and within regions. Gender, race and ethnicity, disability, employment status, home ownership and the existence of adequate social security systems for older persons influence the extent and incidence of poverty. The chapter discusses the human rights relevant to the avoidance and alleviation of poverty among older people and then turns to how the international human rights normative framework and its implementation might be strengthened. It argues that the elaboration of a new convention on the human rights of older persons is required and could contribute to alleviating poverty among older persons.

Keywords: Poverty; Human rights; Older persons; The elderly; Intersectional discrimination; SDGs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035350506
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