Soroptimist International calls attention to the growing population of older women and denounces the tendency for women beyond reproductive age to be invisible, not just from policies and programmes, but from society as a whole.

Soroptimist International  urges governments to:

• Ratify, implement without reservations, and monitor all international treaties and agreements relating to older women, particularly the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, and take into consideration CEDAW’s General Recommendation 27 on Women and Ageing;
• Adopt the WHO’s recommended three pillar approach of ensuring older women have non-discriminatory access to participation, health, and security;
• Address with immediate effect any laws or practices which render women financially insecure in older age, including differential retirement ages, lack of policies which allow women to fulfil dual roles as caregivers and employees, and approaches to pensions which favour men;
• Enact and enforce legislation which eliminates all forms of violence against older women, including physical, psychological, emotional, verbal, financial abuse and exploitation, and neglect;
• Roll out and adequately fund services aimed at reducing isolation and lack of social support specifically for older women;
• Remove all barriers to older women’s access to credit, financial and other productive resources, property, and inheritance, particularly for widows and unmarried older women;
• Sensitise and train authorities on age and gender related issues that affect older women;
• Collect data and evidence-based research disaggregated by age and sex to better understand the unique needs of older women.

 For further information on International Widows Day visit HERE