2020 UNIDOP: “Pandemics: Do They Change How We Address Age and Ageing?”

The year 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations and the 30th Anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP). This year has also seen an emergence of  COVID-19, that has caused an upheaval across the world. Considering the higher risks confronted by older persons during the outbreak of pandemics such as COVID-19, policy and programmatic interventions must be targeted towards raising awareness of their special needs. Recognizing older persons contributions to their own health and the multiple roles they play in the preparedness and response phases of  current and  future pandemics is also important.

UNIDOP 2020

This year has also been recognised as the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife”.  UNIDOP 2020  will  highlight the role of the health care workforce in contributing to the health of older persons, with special recognition of the nursing profession, and a primary focus on the role of women- who are relatively undervalued and in most cases inadequately compensated.

The UNIDOP 2020 event will also promote the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2020-2030) and help bring together UN experts, civil society, government and the health professions to discuss the five strategic objectives of the Global Strategy and Action plan on Ageing and Health while noting the progress and challenges in their realization. The global strategy is well integrated into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while ageing issues cut across the 17 goals, especially Goal 3 which aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being of all at all ages”. As stated by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Director-General, WHO)  “acting on the strategy, is a means for countries to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure that every human being regardless of age will have an opportunity to fulfill their potential in dignity and equality”

The objectives of UNIDOP 2020 are to:

  1. Inform participants about the strategic objectives for the Decade of Healthy Ageing
  2. Raise awareness of the special health needs of older persons and of their contributions to their own health and to the functioning of the societies in which they live
  3. Increase awareness and appreciation of the role of the health care workforce in maintaining and improving the health of older persons, with special attention to the nursing profession
  4. Present proposals for reducing the health disparities between older persons in the developed and developing countries, so as to “Leave no one behind”
  5. Increase understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on older persons and its impact on health care policy, planning, and attitudes.

The event is co-organized by the NGO Committee on Ageing, New York and DESA, and co-sponsored the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations, in collaboration with the Group of Friends of Older Persons. The event will bring diverse participants from NGOs, Member States, academia and civil society.

UNIDOP Event 1 October 2020

The commemorative event was held virtually on, 1 October 2020 from 9am to 12 pm (New York time).

Video recording of the event

The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics is also holding a companion event that will be held virtually on the same day from 1pm to 3pm (New York time).

For more information, please contact ageing@un.org  @UN4Ageing @UNDESASocial #UNUNIDOP2020


United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres video message for the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons.
English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي |


Video message by President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir

Statements:


Parallel Events

Geneva: High-level Virtual Interagency Event and Human Rights Council side event

Flyer
Date: 1 October 2020
Time: 14:00 – 15:00 CET (Geneva) | 8:00 – 9:00 EDT (New York)
Zoom Webinar Link | Password: Meetus@99


Ageing and Ageism in the Commonwealth

Flyer
Date: 30 September 2020
Time: 15:00 -16:30 GMT (London)


FP Virtual Dialogue: Human Rights & Older Persons

Poster
Date: 30 September 2020
Time: 9:30 AM – 10:45 EDT (New York)
Register here for the event.
For more info, click here.


WHO: A conversation with Captain Tom Moore


Join WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as he talks to Captain Tom Moore, the British Second World War veteran who, earlier this year, inspired a nation and drew admiration from around the world as he raised close to £40 million for health workers by doing a sponsored walk in his garden.

Date: 1 October 2020
Time: 11:00 – 12:00 CET (Geneva) | 19:00 – 20:00 AEST (Sydney)
To join the conversation, click on the one of the links below at the start of the event: Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | LinkedIn


UNIDOP Companion Event by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics

This parallel event will provide context, priorities and directions for the upcoming Decade of Healthy Ageing, as named by WHO. IAGG’s regional representatives will draw attention to the inequalities and resulting disparities at the local, national, and regional levels faced by older adults.  For more information, please click here.


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