Virtual Event, Tuesday 15 June 2021 at 09:00-10:15 EST (NY), 15:00-16:15 CEST (Geneva)

The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) founded the first World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) in 2006. WEAAD was designated as a United Nation's International Day in 2011 in GA resolution A/RES/66/127. 

This year’s theme is Access to Justice. COVID-19 highlighted distressing reports of abuse and neglect of older persons in long-term care institutions and in the community where the majority of older persons live. Older persons who have experienced situations of violence, abuse and neglect face multiple barriers in accessing judicial remedies such as issues of accessibility, affordability, excessive delays and backlogs in judicial processes, impact of digitalization, gender bias, discrimination, and entrenched ageism in policy, norms and practices. Access to justice is a fundamental right in itself and an essential prerequisite for the protection and promotion of all human rights. 

An expert panel will discuss ways to overcome the barriers and showcase examples of access to justice by older persons who suffered violence, abuse and neglect, including during the current COVID 19 pandemic.

Opening words:

• Susan Somers, President of INPEA
• HE Mr Federico Villegas, Permanent Representative of Argentina to the UN in Geneva, co-chair of the Group of Friends of the human rights of older persons, Geneva
• HE Mr Enrique Austria MANALO, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN, New York (TBC)

Panelists:

• Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons
• Maria Soledad Cisterna Reyes, Special Envoy of the UN SG on Disability and Accessibility
• Etienne Krug, Director of the department of Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization
• Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (TBC)
• Natasa Todorovic, Health and Care Program Manager, Red Cross of Serbia and INPEA Europe
• Bill Mitchell, Principal Solicitor, Townsville Community Law Inc, Australia

Moderator:

• Silvia Perel-Levin, INPEA representative to the UN and Chair of the NGO Committee on Ageing, Geneva

The event will be accessible with sign language and captioning and it will have French, Spanish, German and Russian interpretation. It will also be webcast on http://webtv.un.org

This event is funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020). The content represents the views of the participants only and is their sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.

REGISTER HERE

For questions please contact:  Silvia Perel-Levin: ngoageing@gmail.com or Susan Somers: sbsomers5@aol.com