The UN General Assembly in 2011, by its resolution 66/127, announced the establishment of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. From now on, June 15 marks the annual international date when the world expresses its opposition to abuses against older generations and their suffering.
Demographic problems are very multifaceted; in different parts of the world their severity varies greatly, but even in developed modern democracies they are present. In some places this is due to low birth rates, in others – on the contrary, with a sharp increase in population, some countries suffer from a disproportion in numbers between men and women, etc.
However, one of the characteristic features of the modern world is, according to experts, the increase in the number of elderly people, and this largely applies to developed countries, where the birth rate for a number of reasons is at a low level, despite fairly favorable economic and social conditions.
One way or another, people who are classified as elderly can often be classified as vulnerable citizens. That is why the United Nations raised the issue of the need to «hide the problems that may arise in the life of a person moving to old age, and also called on states to be more attentive to this category of their citizens, ensuring their interests on an equal basis with others.
According to UN forecasts, in the period 2019-2030 the number of people aged 60 years and older will increase by 38% — from 1 billion to 1.4 billion people — and will exceed the number of young people worldwide. The global number of people aged 60 and over will more than double — from 900 million in 2015 to about 2 billion in 2050. Moreover, this growth will be the largest and fastest in developing countries, so there is a growing need to pay more attention to specific problems affecting older people, including in the field of human rights.
Problems faced by older people include mistreatment in the home environment by family and friends, which causes psychological trauma and suffering. In addition to the psychological pressure that older people may experience, the abuses opposed by the UN General Assembly and the World Health Organization also included physical violence, sexual and financial pressure, expressed in ill-will and carelessness on the part of the staff of medical institutions, social protection authorities.
Demographic realities give rise to a whole series of social problems, including those related to abuses against elderly people. Today this problem is considered one of the global social problems.
In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, older people were one of the main risk groups. The mortality rate among older persons due to the effects of the disease is generally higher, and for those over 80 it is five times the world average.
A call to the whole world to remember humanity and tolerance and to prevent people who until recently were so needed by family, society and the state from feeling abandoned, lonely and useless people – the task that the UN set for itself when establishing this important International Day. Each of these days encourages and teaches us to remember, be tolerant and remain human, to help ensure that every person has the opportunity to live in dignity.
Let us remind you that the International Day of Older Persons is celebrated annually on October 1.
• Infographics – poster «June 15 – World Day Against Abuse of Older Persons»
• Story «How to save an old lady»