Last week, I attended AIDS 2012 in Washington DC. Along with me and HIV Policy Advisor, Rachel Albone, other HelpAge staff working on HIV, from our partner organisations, were also present at the conference. Immediately, I felt there was...
Medical research and effective treatment for those living with HIV means that the epidemic is ageing rapidly. Someone who is diagnosed HIV positive in the United States today at the age of 20 and has access to antiretroviral therapy...
The Make it Ageless campaign to ensure older people in the developing world are better included in the European Union's (EU) policy and programmes is well on its way to success! We are happy to report that the hard...
Brendan Paddy is the Disasters Emergency Committee's (DEC) Communications Manager. In 2011, the DEC East Africa appeal raised £75 million to help those affected by the severe drought and food crisis in the region. A year after the appeal...
Most debates about a potential convention on the human rights of older people take place in the corridors of the United Nations and in high-level meetings of government officials. In Latin America, perhaps more so than anywhere else, there...
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2012 launched this week, made no mention of global ageing. This is not surprising, since the existing MDG framework makes age group disaggregation impossible. However, global ageing is one of the most fundamental is
On 15 June, older people in 26 countries across the world came together to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) as part of the first ever Age Demands Action (ADA) for Rights. They had two demands; to stop...
Across the globe today, the displacement of families and communities as a result of conflict, human rights abuses and natural disasters, is a major cause of suffering, poverty and loss of life. Displacement, particularly over the long term, is...
The flooding that hit Ethiopia's Alemata district in 2010 devastated thousands of lives and destroyed homes and livelihoods. Since then HelpAge and the Relief Society of Tigray (REST) have joined forces to build 329 houses for older people affected...
To mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June, older people in 18 countries will campaign against elder abuse and demand protection of their rights. This campaign, Age Demands Action for Rights, has gained support very quickly, with...
Last week, my organisation Zivot 90, a HelpAge partner, took part in the open-air youth festival Maj les, which is organised by university students from all over the Czech Republic. Over 8,000 young people get together to celebrate the...
Last week, International Federation on Ageing's 11th Global Conference took place in the picturesque city of Prague, Czech Republic. The theme of this year's conference was "Ageing Connects". Discussions revolved around active ageing, ending elder abuse,
