MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay ratifies OAS convention for human rights protection of the elderly

The Permanent Representative of Uruguay, Hugo Cayrús, recalled that the legislature of his country ratified the Convention in September.

Uruguay became the first member state of the Organization of American States (OAS) to deposit the instrument of ratification of the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of the Human Rights of Elderly Persons. The Permanent Representative of Uruguay, Hugo Cayrús, recalled that the legislature of his country ratified the Convention in September.

 “Uruguay believes the region has taken a fundamental step, because it is the first legally binding Convention related to the protection of the human rights of older persons,” said the Uruguayan diplomat.

For his part, the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, congratulated the Uruguayan government on being the first country of the region to “take a step that confirms its commitment to older persons.”

“We hope that this action by Uruguay opens the path for other states to ratify our Inter-American Convention, and allow, as a first step, its entry into force,” added Almagro.

To date, the Convention has been signed by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica, in addition to Uruguay. For the Convention to enter into force, it must be ratified by at least two countries. Uruguay deposited the instrument of ratification at the OAS on Friday, November 18.