This article describes the field of literature concerning globally displaced older refugees and outlines the implications for social work as a human rights profession. The study is based on a review of the social work literature and current examples of globally displaced older refugees; the Rohingya older people at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border and older Palestinians at the Israel-Gaza border and in Lebanon.
The authors suggest that social workers as ‘front-line human rights workers’ are uniquely placed to identify needs, take actionable steps to protect, and advocate for the human rights of displaced older refugees. Global social work ethics and principles of human dignity and human rights need to underpin social work practices that engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing among displaced older refugees at war zones, at the borders and in refugee camps. Future research and welfare projects that aim at analysing the political context, which form the living conditions of forcibly displaced older refugees, whilst enhancing the importance of social workers in interprofessional collaborations and social protection in these areas, are discussed.