UN meeting on ageing
HelpAge to discuss older people's rights
The UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA) is taking place in New York, 12-15 August. We're attending with partners from Ireland, Slovenia, the UK and Nepal.
We'll be raising the need for the working group to continue and making clear that a new convention is the only legally
binding instrument that will adequately protect older people's rights.
Read more about HelpAge at the OEWGA.
Older Syrian refugees
How we're helping
Over two years of war have devastated many Syrian
families and left more than four million people in need of aid. With Handicap International, we are assisting affected older people and people with disabilities.
We are giving cash assistance to refugees in
Jordan and working with other agencies to ensure older
people and people with disabilities are included in the
humanitarian response in Jordan and Lebanon.
Read more about our work on the Syria crisis.
Humanitarian financing
Older people and children ignored
A new HelpAge report – endorsed by Save the Children UK – reveals older people and young children are ignored in emergency responses.
The report found that only 1% of projects submitted to the Consolidated Appeals Process target older people and 2.3% children under five.
Given these groups' vulnerabilities to shocks and stresses, these figures are unacceptable and raise serious questions for the humanitarian
community.
Read more about the report.
New CEO announced
Toby Porter to join HelpAge
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Toby Porter as our new
Chief Executive Officer. Toby brings with him an impressive
record in humanitarian and development programmes with Save the Children UK and Oxfam GB.
Toby said: "I am thrilled to be joining HelpAge. Theirs is truly a cause for our time. Life expectancy is rising around the world, yet governments and the international community are not adapting to these changes."
Read more about our new CEO.
Take our quiz on ageing!
The world is ageing at an unprecedented rate; but are you up to date on the latest ageing statistics? Find out by taking our Ageing in the 21st Century quiz!
Working with older people: Practical guidelines
Do you work with older people in the developing world? Need practical information on how to tailor programmes to older people's needs?
We have new practical guidelines for programme managers and people working with older people, drawing on experience in the HelpAge network.
Please use the guidelines for your own work, training or as a basis for producing more detailed, locally relevant materials.
The guidelines cover topics including emergencies, HIV and AIDS, rights and advocacy and health and care.
