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.

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing untold fear and suffering for older people across the world. As of 26 April, the virus itself has already taken the lives of some 193,710 people, and fatality rates for those over 80 years of age is five times the global average. As the virus spreads rapidly to developing countries, likely overwhelming health and social protection systems, the mortality rate for older persons could climb even higher.

As Michelle Bachelet explained, not only are people with disabilities at higher risk because of the crisis, they also are disproportionately affected by response measures such as lockdowns.

“People with disabilities are in danger in their own homes, where access to day-to-day support and services may be limited due to lockdowns, and some may suffer greatly from being isolated or confined”, she said.