Highlighting the importance of older persons, the World Summit on the Information Society Forum in 2020, for the first time, has dedicated a special track to older persons and ICTs. Technological advances are becoming entrenched in many aspects of our societies and hold the potential to create opportunities towards an inclusive and sustainable development and provide tools to surmount the challenges faced by many to fully participate in the development process.

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to the unprecedented global crisis that has impacted the life and work of the general population in nearly all parts of the world. Persons with disabilities have been affected disproportionately by the pandemic crisis itself and also by many other compounded factors.

The focus of this event is on how the United Nations, together with civil society partners, can support Member States at global, regional and country level to collectively step up action for older persons to preserve their rights and dignity at all times.

UNFPA and WHO, in collaboration with DESA, OHCHR and HelpAge International are co-hosting this virtual convening to:

The Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD) of UN DESA organized an online webinar on “The strugglers: insecurity in the 21st Century”, on 23 July from 10:00am to 11:00am (EDT).

UN DESA has been long working on disability issues within the UN system.

The newly issued document is the first DESA policy specifically concerning disability inclusion, aiming at providing guidance to the ongoing work of the Department in implementing the UNDIS .

On 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly decided, in its resolution 49/214, that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year. The date marks the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations.

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a severe threat to city services, global health, and is radically transforming the societies in which we live. Physical distancing measures adopted around Latin America and the world directly impact the life and well-being of almost 4.1 billion people living in cities. The populations considered at high risk include persons with disabilities and older persons.

UN report finds youth social entrepreneurship can create jobs and help the most underserved communities

Tearing down barriers that prevent more young people from becoming successful social entrepreneurs will contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and tackling the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, according to a new report released today by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

No country is immune from it. Greenhouse gas emissions are more than 50 percent higher than it was in 1990, and global warming is causing long-lasting changes to our climate system which threatens irreversible consequences if we do not act. Cooperatives for Climate Action was chosen as this year’s theme to address this, and to support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 on Climate Action.

COVID-19 is exposing and deepening the inequalities, discrimination and ageism that older persons and persons with disabilities experience every day.

We need inclusive programmes and policies that address the rights of people of all ages to ensure we leave no one behind.

This official side event to the 2020 High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development will look at the COVID 19 experience to identify learnings and opportunities to build a more age and disability inclusive world, and accelerate action to achieve the SDGs for all.