Older woman Colombia

Ensuring the full participation of older women in the global gender movement

Published

Today, HelpAge International and its network members have submitted a statement to the 68th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 68), calling for the full inclusion of older women in the global gender movement.

The priority theme of the March 2024 session is accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, including by addressing poverty.

The review theme is the promotion of social protection systems, access to public services, and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Both these themes lie at the heart of the mission of the HelpAge global network.

Zainab showing her grandchild how to make vegitable ready for cooking (1)

Read our statement to the UN CSW

The statement has been supported by 31 non-governmental organisations that are members of the HelpAge global network, including some organisations who hold consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Read the statement here

Achieving gender equality is critical to the fulfilment of our mission, which is to promote the well-being, dignity, and voice of older people in their diverse identities.

Older women often remain marginalised in policy discussions on gender equality and development assistance. They experience higher levels of poverty than older men due to gender-based discrimination and inequality.

Our statement emphasises the importance of taking into consideration the perspectives, voices, and needs of women across all age groups, including older women. Recognising older women’s agency, rights, and abilities is vital for their engagement in social, political, and economic aspects, promoting healthier societies.

The statement has been supported by 31 non-governmental organisations in total that are members of the HelpAge global network, including some organisations who hold consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The organisations that have supported the statement are:

  • Age International
  • Ageing Nepal (ECOSOC consultative status)
  • Asociación Fundación para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Comunal de El Salvador (CORDES)
  • Asociación Gerontológica Costarricense
  • Asociación Red Colombiana de Envejecimiento Activo y Digno
  • AVU Diversión para Personas Mayores
  • AVU IAP
  • Casa Cultural Casa del Niño
  • Centro de Apoyo Social para Personas Adultas Mayores – CASPAM
  • Centro Gerópolis de la Universidad de Valparaíso
  • Centro Mexicano Alzheimer AC
  • Consejo Distrital de Sabios y Sabias
  • Convite AC
  • Dorcas Aid International
  • Fundación RAFAM Argentina
  • Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS) (ECOSOC consultative status)
  • HelpAge Deutschland
  • HelpAge International Spain
  • HelpAge Moldova
  • Life Makers Meeting Place Organisation (LMMPO) (ECOSOC consultative status)
  • Mesa de Trabajo de ONGs y afines sobre Personas Adultas Mayores
  • MICOP Kenya
  • Organización de Entidades Mutuales de las Américas (ODEMA) (ECOSOC consultative status)
  • PRO Global/Pensioners without Borders
  • ProVida Colombia
  • ProVida Perú
  • Proyecto Surcos para la Promoción de la Salud, Asociación Civil
  • SIDOM FOUNDATION
  • Slovenska filantropija
  • South African Older Persons’ Forum (SAOPF)
  • Universidad ISALUD