Amnesty International has called upon the Argentinian government to uphold its obligations under international law by ensuring that elderly citizens receive adequate pensions. This plea comes in response to the government’s recent decision not to renew a pension moratorium that expired last week. As stated in Amnesty International’s release, failing to address this issue could see older individuals forced to continue working beyond retirement age or resort to alternatives that fail to cover basic living expenses. The organization has also expressed concern that this inaction would disproportionately affect women.
The expired pension moratorium was initially enacted under Law 27705 in 2023, a measure designed to assist those without the 30 years of contributions required for standard pension access. These moratoriums offered payment plans over two years, intended to relieve individuals facing financial insecurity. Such legislative initiatives aimed to address systemic inequalities prevalent in Argentina’s extensive informal labor market, where, according to Human Rights Watch, over 30% of workers and nearly three-quarters of domestic laborers operate without protection—affecting predominantly women and girls.
The international legal framework supporting Amnesty’s call includes the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Argentina is a party. As per Article 9 of the ICESCR, each state party “recognize[s] the right of everyone to social security,” while Article 11 emphasizes the right to “an adequate standard of living.”
In Buenos Aires and other cities, protests erupted following the government’s declaration, leading to clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement. The demonstrations were fueled not only by pensioners but also by young individuals and even fans of Argentina’s prominent football clubs, Boca Juniors and River Plate. These instances underline a wider social unrest that Amnesty International warns could escalate unless proactive measures are taken by the government to safeguard elder rights to pensions and an adequate standard of living.
For more information, visit the original article on JURIST.