There are more aged people in the world than ever, and their relative proportion of populations has been increasing. Despite this, the needs of older persons in the recent crises in the world – wars, pandemics, natural disasters, etc. – is a topic to which so far relatively little attention has been paid by international and domestic institutions and other actors. The conference Older Persons in Crises: Rights and Challenges aims to examine these issues in a comprehensive manner and seek solutions.
The international conference will be held at the University of Helsinki (Main Building, Great Hall, Fabianinkatu 33) on 20-22 March 2025. It is organized by The Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights (Law Faculty, University of Helsinki), in association with Leo Mechelin Foundation, and HelpAge International.
The Conference Patron is President Tarja Halonen. She will address the Conference on the theme Sustainable Development and Older People.
Keynote speakers at the Conference include:
Claudia Mahler UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons
Mia Seppo Assistant Director General, ILO
Hanna Nohynek WHO SAGE chair, Chief Physician, Department of Health Security in the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Plenary speakers include, among others:
Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen Professor, Director of the Centre of Excellence on Global Mobility Law, University of Copenhagen
Kati Juva co-president, IPPNW
Teppo Kröger Professor, University of Jyväskylä
Annu Lehtinen Executive Director, Finnish Refugee Council
Laura Mills Amnesty International
Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen Professor, University of Eastern Finland
Krista Oinonen Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Carole Osero-Ageng’o HelpAge International
Petteri Taalas Professor, Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute
The Conference will set up four Working Groups:
WG I: Wars and Conflicts
WG II: Environment and Climate Change
WG III: International Convention on the Rights of Older Persons?
WG IV: Older persons as Refugees
You can find the programme of the conference here.