Welcome to your UN Decade of Healthy Ageing update for August!
In this newsletter, learn more about three important opportunities coming up in the second half of this year for:
- Combatting ageism through policy and law – what’s next after the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing?
- Advocating for strengthening our health and social care systems for older people – contribute to the UN International Day of Older Persons
- Becoming a leader for age-friendly environments – join the AFE-ECHO learning programme
… and get a summary of:
- Other upcoming opportunities to get involved
In case you missed it: other events, publications, and more
Combatting ageism through policy and law: What’s next after the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing?
For 14 years, the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing focused on identifying gaps in the existing international framework of the human rights of older persons and determining how best to address them.
On 13 August 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution deciding that the working group has completed its work, as it concluded its review of gaps and recommended 10 concrete options for the Assembly’s consideration on how to address them.
This is a major milestone, as the new resolution also urges UN bodies to consider the possible implementation of these options, which include legal mechanisms to address age-based discrimination. This is important as we know from the UN Global report on ageism that policy and law is one of three strategies that are proven to work to reduce ageism.
Stay subscribed for the latest updates on how this area of work develops. In the meantime, join the Global Campaign to Combat Ageism and keep advocating for change in your communities as global dialogues continue!
International Day of Old Person’s Rights
Already keen to learn more about how you can contribute to the growing momentum on these developments at the UN?
Save the date for a discussion organised by the NGO Committee on Ageing in Geneva, at the margins of the 57th Human Rights Council and to mark the UN International Day of Older Persons:
DATE: 1 October 2024 (Tuesday)
TIME: 15:00 – 16:30 CEST
LOCATION: Room XXIII, Palais des Nations (Geneva, Switzerland)
Advocating for strengthening our health and social care systems for older people: Contribute to the UN International Day of Older Persons
The UN International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP), celebrated every 1 October, is a busy time as the global community comes together to celebrate older people’s contributions as well as highlight the challenges they face.
Each UNIDOP, the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Platform sets up a ‘one-stop-shop’ online hub that brings together as many events and resources as possible related to the day and its theme. (Click here to explore last year’s hub.)
This year’s UNIDOP theme is all about strengthening care and support systems for older people. Are you organising an event to highlight the importance of care that responds to older people’s needs? Or do you have a resource about the topic that we can help share?
Contribute the details of your event or resource on the UN Decade Platform by 13 September 2024 (Friday) to be part of year’s hub and for the chance to be featured on the UN Decade’s social media channels.
34th UN International Day of Older Persons Celebration
Registrations for the UNIDOP 2024 commemorations at the UN Headquarters, New York, are now open:
DATE: 7 October 2024 (Monday)
TIME: 10:00 – 13:00 EDT
LOCATION: ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters – with livestream
Becoming a leader for age-friendly environments: Join WHO’s AFE-ECHO learning programme
Are you a new or emerging leader of age-friendly cities and communities? Do you want to join a community of age-friendly champions and develop the skills required to create better places to grow, live, work, play, and age?
The 3rd English edition of the Age-friendly Environments ECHO (AFE-ECHO) learning programme is open for registration – now scheduled for time zones more convenient for Asia and the Pacific, Oceania, and the Americas:
- DATE: 15 October to 10 December 2024
- FORMAT: 5 biweekly 1-hour sessions conducted on Zoom
- TIME: 8:00 PHST / 10:00 AEST / 10:30 ACDT / 13:00 NZDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EST
AFE-ECHO is part of the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities’ MENTOR-AFE programme, delivered with the support of the International Federation on Ageing.
More opportunities to get involved
- Closing 31 August 2024: Respond to WHO’s survey to identify priorities in the field of social connection
Answer this 5-10 minute survey to help WHO identify research, policy, advocacy, and funding priorities for improving people’s health, well-being, safety, and prosperity through social connection. Survey here.
- 4 September 2024: World Sexual Health Day (World Association for Sexual Health)
Despite common ageist stereotypes, sexual health is an important part of older people’s well-being. Use the Global Campaign to Combat Ageism’s toolkit to highlight how ageism prevents us from supporting older people’s sexual health.
- 7 September 2024: International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies (UN)
There is no healthy ageing without a healthy planet. On this day, advocate for environmental stewardship as an essential component of building age-friendly environments using our Partnering Kit.
- 20 September 2024: World Alzheimer’s Day (Alzheimer’s Disease International)
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are not inevitable consequences of ageing. However, ageist and ableist stereotypes still prevent many older people living with dementia from receiving the support they need. On this day, learn more about dementia using WHO’s resources.