Advocating for older people and their rights.
Protecting older people’s rights allows societies to fully realize the potential of their aging populations. When older people achieve social security, poverty rates go down and enrollment of children in schools goes up. And when they regain dignity, they contribute to their communities in transformative ways.
Roadblocks we're helping remove that stand in the way of wellbeing, security, and dignity
Ageism
Ageism exists when people face stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination based on their age. It causes older people to be excluded from jobs and social services and is often behind human rights violations such as elder abuse and financial exploitation. In many ways, it is the last socially accepted form of discrimination.
Intersectional discrimination
Older people are discriminated against based on their gender, disability, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. This has compounding, debilitating effects, especially for older women.
Elder abuse
Older people can face abuse and violence in their homes and in care facilities. Other forms of abuse include not having the right to make decisions about personal finances, property, and medical care; and being denied social security, health care, work, food, and housing.
HelpAge Global Network advocacy and human rights projects
Age Demands Action
Age Demands Action is HelpAge’s grassroots, global campaign to end ageism. It is led and driven by our network of community-based organizations and older adults.
United Nations working group
HelpAge advocates at the United Nations to ensure that the human rights of older people are protected.
Older women's rights
A core part of our work is reducing inequality, especially for older women. We do this through programs that advance the rights of women and close the gender gap in older ages.
What our advocacy is accomplishing
Organizing the fight against ageism
We mobilize older people to fight discrimination and claim their rights. Too often, they’re denied the right to make decisions for themselves, whether it’s for where they want to live or the care that they receive.
Protecting the rights of older people
Through Age Demands Action, we support older people to advocate for a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older People.
Preventing violence and abuse
HelpAge equips older people with knowledge about their rights and available legal resources, collects data on violence against older people, and facilitates their access to support services.
“Abuse against elderly women is a hidden issue; women don’t speak about it. Our goal is to see that every elderly woman knows her rights and...don’t accept domestic violence as being normal.”
— Tatiana Sorocan, HelpAge Moldova
