Global campaign 1 October 2007:
Older persons across four continents will meet with their Governments on 1 October, UN International Day of Older Persons, under the banner of Age Demands Action, in the first–ever co–ordinated action of older persons to enact change.
In a campaign led by HelpAge International, older persons will call for improvements in ageing policies and practice in their countries, and a package of universal non–contributory pensions, free health care and anti–discriminatory legislation for all older persons worldwide.
Countries thus far confirmed to take part in Age Demands Action are Bangladesh, Dominica, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Nepal, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, and a Latin American Regional Delegation comprising of representatives from Peru, Columbia and Bolivia.
Small delegations of older persons, acting as national ambassadors on ageing, will meet with their respective Government, in a number of cases meeting with the Head of State.
The delegates will personify the issues most pressing in their countries. Together, they will demand deliverable action, such as practical measures to enhance inclusion in decision–making processes, as many older persons in countries are not registered to vote due to lacking identity cards or illiteracy.
The Age Demands Action delegations collectively will raise awareness of the unique problems faced by older persons, and work to hold their Governments to account in meeting the goals of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing [MIPAA], a declaration agreed by 159 UN member states five years ago, setting out how the issue of ageing will be addressed.
The number of older persons [over 60s] is growing faster than all other age groups on every continent, resulting from the number increasing worldwide from one –in–10 of the population now, to one –in–five by 2050. Currently, an estimated 100 million older people live on less than a US$1 dollar a day and are amongst the poorest and most marginalised group in many countries.
HelpAge International is co–ordinating the campaign to support its 70 affiliate ageing organisations across 50 countries. For more information about the work of HelpAge International, visit website at: www.helpage.org.
BACK TO GLOBAL NEWS ARCHIVE 2007
Handy guide to wellbeing series | One-worldmentalhealth.org
One-worldhealthblog | Communicatormentalhealth.org online and magazine UKhealthblog | EUhealthnews.eu [service starts soon] | EUhealthblog
News reports in a language of your choice | Free translation services online
Mind+body wellbeing | Government policy | Economics | Work and training | Education | Age | Families | Caregiving | Nutrition | Exercise | Housing |
Poverty | Abuse | Human rights | Prisons | War | Transport
