The key human rights issues facing older people in New Zealand encompass full participation within society, access to resources and a positive attitude to ageing.
[3] Article 25(1) of the UDHR recognises the right of all to an adequate standard of living and where necessary social security, including in the event of old age.
[9] In 1995 the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) stated that discrimination on the basis of age was not specifically incorporated in the ICCPR and ICESCR as it was not considered to be a significant issue at the time of drafting.
[16] The New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy was released in 2001 to align the efforts of community and local and central government stakeholders to enhance the wellbeing of older people through ten aspirational goals.
[21] Two areas where older persons have faced challenges are finding employment in the first instance and access to training both to upskill and refresh capabilities.
[22] Age affects eligibility for government funding to access tertiary education and therefore impacts upon the opportunities older persons have to retrain.
The potential for an increased future risk of hardship amongst older persons is forecast given decreasing rates of home ownership and low incomes affecting contributions to Kiwisaver.