UN 12th Open Ended Working Group on Ageing
SGA Africa Side Event Summary Report
In Africa, like in many societies around the world, there are systemic stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination against older persons especially older women, which have become embedded in the society and are operational in the family, community, cultural and institutional structures that breach older person’s rights to self-determination. There is unfortunately pervasive violence, abuse and neglect of older persons in various forms worsened by the cultural perceptions for instance about some non-communicable diseases including cognitive impairment, which influence older persons’ rights to health by first impinging on the access to health care and services. All this is made worse by systemic ageism which has a direct effect on the promotion and sanctuary of the rights of older persons to social protection and income security, health, and protection in humanitarian settings.
In the spirit of being a strong and unified voice, the Stakeholder Group on Ageing (SGA) Africa in collaboration with the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) convened a side event during the UN 12th Open Ended Working Group on Ageing.
