A group of UN human rights experts have urged Member States to renew their commitment to end all forms of abuse and violence against older women, promote their human rights and act against pervasive sexist and ageist attitudes. 

On the occasion of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day that falls on June 15, the independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Claudia Mahler, joined by other UN human rights experts, issued a statement on Tuesday.

Around the world, thousands of older women continue to be silenced by the persistence of discriminatory societal attitudes and a lack of attention to abuse and violence.

In 2020, around one in six people aged 60 and above experienced some form of abuse in community settings, they said. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates of violence against older persons, including older women, and cases of domestic violence increased considerably.

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According to UN Women, 34 percent of women aged 60 and over reported experiencing violence or knowing someone who has, since the beginning of the pandemic.

In this recent context, there is a critical need to acknowledge and document the extent to which violence against older women is widespread within our ageing societies.

“Today, as we shed light on the scourge of elder abuse, we urge Member States to renew their commitment to end all forms of abuse and violence against older women, to ensure their protection and meaningful participation, to promote their human rights, to integrate age in data collection about gender-based violence, and efficiently act against pervasive sexist and ageist attitudes,” according to the statement issued from Geneva.