Combating Ageism

About the World Summit on Social Development

The United Nations General Assembly, through its resolutions 78/261 and 78/318, decided to convene the “World Social Summit” in 2025, under the title “the Second World Summit for Social Development” to be held in Doha, Qatar from 4-6 November.

The Summit will convene heads of State or Government, along with other leaders and CSOs, to address gaps and recommit to the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Programme of Action and its implementation and give momentum towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Advancing Healthy Ageing as a Cornerstone of Social Development

As populations age at unprecedented rates, the global community faces a decisive moment: will we adapt policies and systems to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to age with dignity, health, and voice, or risk leaving millions behind? Our work demonstrates that investing in healthy ageing strengthens entire societies, from resilient health systems and inclusive labour markets to sustainable urban development and intergenerational solidarity. The ageing agenda must be a core component of the sustainable development agenda.

Ageism is stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination directed toward people based on age. It can occur at the interpersonal level through implicit bias, and at the systemic level through the lack of programs and policies that address the needs of older adults. Ageism is prevalent in our society, in health and social services, media, employment, education and infrastructure, all of which impact the wellbeing of older people. Together with international leaders, IFA is working diligently to combat ageism for example:

The United Nation’s (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlines 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adoption of the SDGs will assist in combating ageist policies. The UN foregrounds the rights of older people and an insidious outcome of ageism – elder abuse – through designating 1 October as the International Day of Older Persons and 15 June as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health was developed to help realise the SDGs in the context of a global ageing population and to ensure all can age in good health. To support the implementation of this strategy, the WHO developed the 10 Priorities for a Decade of Action on Healthy Ageing.

IFA works alongside intergovernmental agencies and its members and supporters to combat ageism by: viewing all organisational priorities through the lens of equity; representation at the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing; membership in the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People; alignment of priorities with the WHO and UN; and committed to the central theme of “Rights Matter” at the IFA’s 15th Global Conference on Ageing (10-12 November 2021).

POLICY POSITIONS:

Combating ageism requires a global movement that involves citizens, governments, non-governments, academia, and industry in order to transform attitudes and actions across generations and civilization.