International Day of Older Persons: Take seriously the impact of the pandemic on older people around the world

This year, 1 October marks the thirtieth International Day of Older Persons. In his message on 30 September, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said it was important to “take seriously the severe impact of the pandemic on older people around the world, not only on their health, but also on their rights and well-being.” ”

Guterres said that the new crown epidemic is bringing unspeakable fear and suffering to older people around the world, and in addition to directly endangering health, the epidemic has also put older people at risk of poverty, discrimination and isolation, and elderly people in developing countries have been particularly affected.

According to United Nations data, there are currently about 1 billion elderly people over 60 years old in the world, and by 2020, the number of children under 5 years old will exceed that of this group, and by 2050, the total number of elderly people will exceed 1.5 billion, by then, 1 in 6 people in the world will be over 65 years old, of which 80% will live in low- and middle-income countries.

“It is important to prioritize older people in the pandemic response, while also examining how the pandemic is changing the way we respond to ageing, providing greater opportunities for older people to participate in society, and strengthening health, pensions and social protection,” Guterres said. ”

Guterres called on the international community to seize the opportunity of the 2020-2030 Decade of Healthy Ageing in solidarity as a recovery from the pandemic, improve the lives of older people, their families and communities, listen to their voices, suggestions and ideas, and build a more inclusive and age-friendly society.

The attention received during the pandemic cannot hide the reality that the elderly have been “invisible” in society for a long time

The UN human rights expert also said in a statement today that although the pandemic has made the vulnerable elderly group one of the spotlights, this does not hide the fact that this group has been neglected for a long time and seems to be “invisible” in society.

Claudia Mahler, the new UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, said: “The pandemic has brought violations of the rights of older persons to the fore, exacerbating the inequalities they face in terms of health, employment and livelihoods. ”

Mahler said that information on the real situation of older people in many countries is extremely incomplete or non-existent, and many countries lack laws to protect the rights of older people and prevent discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, violence and abuse. The international community should begin to improve information on the structural and systemic causes of neglect of older persons, and value the contribution of this group to society, so that protection measures for older persons can be sustained long after the pandemic.

About the International Day of Older Persons

The International Day of Older Persons was established in 1990 by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly to strengthen society’s attention to and protection of the rights and interests of older persons. This year’s International Day focuses on the goals of the Decade of Action on Healthy Ageing and the pandemic, focusing on the special health needs of older persons, the impact of the pandemic on older persons, and their contribution to their own health and social progress, while calling for narrowing the gap in the health status of older people in developed and developing countries to truly “leave no one behind”.