Povilas Sigitas Krivickas is blogging from HelpAge’s conference on older people’s rights in Osnabrück, Germany. He represents the Lithuanian Pensioners’ Union “Bočiai”.
I’m really pleased to be at this international conference on older people’s rights. The conference gives us a chance to join our efforts to promote the rights of older people at every level, all the way up to the United Nations.
It’s also a good chance to develop closer links with HelpAge International. I feel it is really important to connect with older people’s organisations to tackle abuse and violence globally.
Developing partnerships
It is great that 25 countries are present. There are representatives from a range of developing countries, including Tanzania with whom we are partnering on a project of development education.
Our partner Mr Joseph from Tanzania will come with us to Vilnius in Lithuania after the conference and take part in a special screenplay and a range of open discussions about ageing.
He will be our honoured guest and we hope he will feel at home despite the snow and cold!
Building solidarity
This conference is building solidarity and will help people in Lithuania understand that discrimination against older people is a real issue and a global issue.
The conference has also spread the word that the HelpAge network is there and watching.
In my country there are real challenges for older people who make up almost one third of the population. Despite this, less than 1% benefit from home-based care.
The conference is an important wake up call for all those governments who are not listening. I will take the messages from this event back home and broadcast them on my radio show and write about them in my newspaper column.
Together we can make change.
Read more on HelpAge’s work towards a convention on the rights of older people.