ООН и старение: Новости ХелпЭйдж Интернейшнл

Distribution List: HelpAge Global Network

 Dear colleagues,

I am writing to you from the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York. The HLPF meets annually and brings together a broad range of stakeholders including governments, the UN, international organisations, civil society and private sector actors to discuss progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. A total of 44 governments have volunteered to report at the forum this year which runs from 10-19 July.

I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on our activities during the HPLF and share some exciting updates about work on the SDGs. If you would like to receive more updates on Agenda 2030 and the SDGs, please join a special mailing list we have set up for HelpAge network members, staff and campaign partners:http://bit.ly/SDGupdates

 This week’s sessions at the HLPF

 We have been working closed with our colleagues in the Stakeholder Group on Ageing in the run up to the HLPF to ensure that ageing and older people are visible within the sessions. We were delighted to secure space for Dr Emem Omokoro to address member states at a panel on multidimensional poverty and inequalities on the first day of the HLPF. Emem is representing the Dave Omokoro Foundation at the HLPF, an organisation advocating for the rights of older people in Nigeria. Watch the session here (Emem’s statement begins at 42 mins).

On Tuesday, Verity McGivern, HelpAge International’s Agenda 2030 Manager, also addressed member states during a multi-stakeholder panel on challenges and pathways to eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity. Read her statementhere and watch the session here (Verity’s statement is at 48 mins).

On Monday the Stakeholder Group on Ageing co-hosted a successful event exploring good practice in gender, age and disability inclusive policies.

Making sustainable development work at all ages

Tomorrow we will be co-hosting an event at the UN on Eradicating Poverty and Promoting Prosperity for Older Persons, along with UNDP, UNDESA, and others.

The event will feature speakers from UNDESA, UNDP, the Governments of Finland and Argentina alongside myself and Dr Emem Omokoro.

At the event we will be launching a brand new animation explaining a life course approach through four characters who experience complex and varied life courses and are in very different situations when they reach older age. We are currently working on translations for this short film which we will share in due course. For the time being, we hope the English version and the associated webpage will be useful for you.

Ageing, older persons and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

I am delighted to share with you a newly published UN Issues Brief on Ageing, older persons and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which will be launched at tomorrow’s side event. This brief has been authored by staff at UNDP with our support and support from network member AARP. The brief acknowledges the importance of a life-course approach to ageing and calls for protecting and promoting the rights of older persons in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

New HelpAge briefing paper: Healthy lives and wellbeing for all at all ages

 One of the goals under review at the 2017 High Level Political Forum is SDG3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. This goal includes a commitment to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). We have published a new briefing paper which outlines the challenges faced by older in accessing health services and provides recommendations for how policies can help overcome them. It makes the case that UHC will not be achieved unless systems are strengthened and reoriented to protect and promote older men and women’s right to health. We hope this new tool will add value to your advocacy at national level.

Voluntary national reviews

Next week, the 44 countries that have volunteered will present their reports during the official sessions. We will be attending the sessions to find out what governments are saying about the SDGs and older persons. Verity will also be attending a breakfast meeting with reporting countries next week. If you were involved with the process to develop the report at national level and have comments or questions, please write to verity.mcgivern@helpage.org.

I hope you will find this update useful. Following all of the feedback we received, I will share the finalised version of the HelpAge International discussion paper on the SDGs and Global Ageing with you next week. 

 If you have any questions or comments about work on Agenda 2030 and the SDGs, please get in touch with Verity McGivern at verity.mcgivern@helpage.org.