A term that is deployed ever-more frequently in international law and policy, inter-generational solidarity remains a nebulous concept in practice. Engaging with key normative developments and debates in international human rights law with regard to the rights of children, older persons and not yet living future generations, this paper explores whether IHRL provides the tools necessary for a meaningful conceptualisation of inter-generational solidarity – namely, one that can be applied to address the converging and diverging challenges faced by different generations and age groups in terms of enjoyment of their rights.
Aoife Nolan is Professor of International Human Rights Law and Director of the Human Rights Law Centre at the University of Nottingham. Since 2023, she has been President of the Council of Europe’s European Committee of Social Rights, Europe’s leading economic and social rights monitoring body, to which she was elected in in 2017. She is an Academic Expert member at Doughty Street Chambers where she co-leads the Children’s Rights Group and is a member of the Doughty Street International Steering Group.