In April 2020, the United Nations Voluntary Funds on Disability provided grants on catalytic and innovative activities that support the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In 2019 call for proposals, 125 applications were received from 41 countries. After a rigorous selection process, UNDESA, within the mandate of the General Assembly in its resolution 63/150, awarded grants to the following projects in Argentina, Lesotho and Uganda.

The UN General Assembly designated 15 June as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (res. A/RES/66/127).  According to WHO estimates, 1 in 6 people aged over 60 suffers from abuse. That means nearly 141 million people globally. This number might be much higher as elder abuse is one of the most hidden and underreported violations.

The meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development in 2020 will be held from Tuesday, 7 July, to Thursday, 16 July 2020, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. This will include the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from Tuesday, 14 July, to Thursday, 16 July 2020. 

The Stakeholder Group on Ageing (SGA) Africa, in collaboration with UN DESA and other partners, held a regional webinar on the impact of COVID-19 in the context of the rights of older persons, on 5 June 2020. The purpose of the webinar was to signal to government leaders and policy makers, the needs of vulnerable older persons in this crisis, and to identify ways in which attention to human rights of older people can better focus recovery efforts on achieving equitable and inclusive development.

Removing barriers, making society inclusive and accessible: impact of the COVID-19 crisis on persons with disabilities and “building back better” toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable world.

Save the date for this virtual discussion on an issue at the core of the Protection of Civilians agenda on 28 May 2020, 09.00-10.30 (NY time).

This virtual side event, which coincides with the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians, will focus on the disproportionate challenges facing persons with disabilities in humanitarian, conflict and post-conflict settings.

As the world grapples with an unparalleled health crisis, older persons have become one of its more visible victims. The pandemic spreads among persons of all ages and conditions, yet available evidence indicates that older persons and those with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk of serious illness and death from the COVID-19 disease.

The COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan, produced by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), prioritizes the needs of the the most vulnerable including older persons.

Given that the pandemic has already heightened existing levels of discrimination, inequality and gender based violence, the Plan includes specific metrics to ensure that the vulnerabilities of these groups are addressed. This plan also includes programmes that respond to the projected rapid growth in food insecurity.