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As the international community marks 75 years since the adoption of the groundbreaking Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNECE calls for commitment and practical measures from governments and all stakeholders in the region to uphold the human rights of all persons including those with…
Delegations from over 40 countries in the wider European region convened in Geneva on 19-20 October to review progress towards the goals adopted by the landmark 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and discuss priorities for the future.  The two-day conference,…
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo in 1994, set a bold new vision of the relationships between population, development, and individual rights and well-being. It recognized that population was not about numbers, but about people, and that individual…
On today’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, focused on Gender-Based Violence in Older Age: Policy, Law and Evidence-based Responses, UNECE calls for commitment and concrete measures to end violence against older women in the pan-European region and North America.   A challenge in all regions …
In an increasingly digitalized world, full and equal participation in society depends on modern technologies. From work and education to healthcare and staying connected with loved ones, nearly every aspect of daily life has to some degree gone “online”. The critical role of digital technologies in…
The 61st Commission for Social Development concluded yesterday with the adoption of a resolution calling for acceleration of the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). The Commission session concluded the fourth global review and appraisal of MIPAA, which…
Strengthening the voice and agency of older persons in decisions that affect them is essential to fulfil the 2030 Agenda’s pledge of leaving no-one behind. It is a key step in ensuring that ageing-related issues are accounted for in the design and implementation of policies across various sectors…
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed dysfunctions in many systems, including those that affect the lives of older people and their communities. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected older persons – nearly 9 out of 10 COVID-19 deaths in the UNECE region have been among those aged 65 and older.…
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the rights and health of older persons: as of September 2020, nearly 9 out of 10 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the UNECE region have been among adults aged 65 years and older. The region currently hosts more than 30 per cent of the world’s…
The UNECE region is at the forefront of population ageing with rising numbers of people growing old in cities. If at the turn of 21st century just below 14 per cent of urban population in Europe were 65+, they accounted for 16.8 per cent in 2015 and in North America, the proportion of 65+ among…
A new policy brief launched today by the Secretary-General highlights the particular risks COVID-19 presents to older persons. As has been widely reported, the fatality rate for older people is higher than for younger age groups and reaches five times the global average for those aged 80 and…
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality, the latest UNECE Policy Brief on Ageing, developed in collaboration with the Government of France, explores the challenges of addressing gender gaps in ageing societies, providing recommendations…
Every 3 seconds someone develops dementia. The number of people with dementia worldwide is around 50 million, and due to population ageing it is expected to triple by 2050. Although dementia – which is not part of the normal ageing process – affects mainly older people, it also has a significant…
Everybody is likely to become a carer at some point in life, providing care for a spouse, family member, friend or neighbour with long-term care needs. The majority of such non-professional care, referred to as informal care, is provided by women.Societies in the UNECE region heavily depend on…
Every year, World Population Day celebrated on 11 July invites us to consider the importance of population dynamics for sustainable development. This year, World Population Day draws global attention to the unfinished business of the ambitious goals of the Programme of Action of the…
The ILO Centenary Declaration on the Future of Work, adopted on Friday by the 108th International Labour Conference, acknowledges that alongside other driving factors such as technological innovations, climate change and globalization, demographic change will shape the future of work. Because of…
The 21st century is known as the information age, with connectivity and access to information and services only a few simple clicks away. Technology has been dubbed as the ‘great equalizer’, bringing access and convenience to those in remote areas — but does it truly provide equality for all?…
Population ageing has been identified by the Government of Belarus as a major challenge. At the request of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, UNECE has started working on a roadmap supporting the Government of Belarus in the development of a National…
This year’s International Day of Older Persons on 1 October will celebrate the older people around the world who dedicate their lives to championing human rights. 2018 also marks the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).Older human rights champions…
Understanding population dynamics is essential as societies around the world strive to achieve the ambitious and holistic Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Taking a human-rights based approach – seeing the individual, their needs and potential – beyond the mere numbers of population trends…
Active Ageing is by now a widely known and well-established concept referring to a situation where we continue to participate in the labour market, engage in unpaid productive activities such as care provision to family members and volunteering and live healthy, independent and secure lives as…
Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of the ground-breaking International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994, and of its Programme of Action. In preparation for this anniversary, the UNECE Regional Conference on Enabling Choices: Population Dynamics and…
The UNECE region is experiencing population ageing earlier than other regions. This brings significant challenges, but also many opportunities if the potential that living longer holds for individuals, economies and societies at large is properly harnessed.Last year, UNECE member States…
A High-Level Panel on the 3rd review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) will conclude the global review of MIPAA at the 56th session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56) and highlight how the Madrid Plan of Action can contribute to…
The latest in UNECE’s series of policy briefs on ageing focuses on the potentials of living longer. The brief, released on 14 September 2017 ahead of the 4th UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing in Lisbon (20-22 September), challenges the traditional policy approach to ageing populations –…