Legal panorama on regulations regarding the rights of older persons in Colombia

The elderly population has been increasing significantly, which obliges states to recognize their rights and to implement the instruments that procure their wellbeing. In this framework it is important to establish the fact that there is no international document that is legally binding for countries regarding protection of the rights of the elderly, although some international entities such as the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of American States (OAS) have produced recommendations and some resolutions that try to generate the background of protection and wellbeing for that population. Within said context, this document presents the background of the international rules, recommendations and resolutions referring to the defense and protection of the elderly, together with an enunciation of the rules that regulate the subject in Colombia and the criteria established by the Constitutional Court regarding the protection of the elderly as subjects requiring special protection.