On 4 November 2020 an online interactive dialogue took place between the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and civil society organisations working in the field of ageing. This session was the result of an initiative led by the International Federation on Ageing together with HelpAge International, ILC Brazil and the NGO Committee on Ageing (Geneva).
Among the six speakers invited to take the floor, our Secretary General Maciej Kucharczyk delivered a statement raising the “Voice of older people in COVID-19”. He emphasized how much, “enabling older people to have a voice in the debate on how to address health challenges during and beyond the Covid pandemic is precisely what institutional actors should do”. On behalf of the coalition of civil society organisations organising the event, AGE Secretary General called on the WHO to open its regular briefings with Member States to civil society to ensure dialogue. He furthermore insisted on the need “to address the persisting age discrimination further exacerbated by the corona pandemic”. Maciej acknowledged the support Dr Tedros and other global leaders to highlight this issue and lead coordinated policies on healthy and dignified ageing.
Above the Decade of Healthy ageing which will offer a key platform for collaboration during the next 10 years, Dr Tedros recognised how much such a direct dialogue is important and should be repeated.
For more information on this event, you may contact Julia Wadoux, Julia.Wadoux@age-platform.eu
On the image (from left to right): Alana Officer (WHO), Maciej Kucharczyk (AGE), Jane Baratt (IFA), Grace Chan (Hong Kong Council of Social Services), Dr. Tedros (WHO DG), Michael Moore (World Federation Public Health Associations), Justin Derbyshire (HelpAge International), Isabella Aboderin, (IAGG Africa Region), Alex Kalache, International Longevity Centre Brazil, Ritu Sadana (WHO)
