Welcome to the United Nations
On 16 July, H.E. Ambassador Bob Rae, President of ECOSOC, hosted a HLPF side event at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations on the intersection of ageism and sexism. Organized in partnership with ILC Canada and HelpAge Canada, and co-sponsored by DESA, the event brought together Member States, UN entities, and civil society to examine how overlapping forms of discrimination impact the visibility and inclusion of older women in policy and practice. Ambassador Rae emphasized dignity as a foundational principle and underscored the need to challenge structural assumptions that diminish people’s value as they age. The keynote address was delivered by DESA Programme on Ageing, highlighting the importance of recognizing older women’s ongoing contributions across generations. The discussion reinforced the importance of integrated, life-course approaches to advance more inclusive and responsive sustainable development strategies.