In the discussions held over the last 18 months on the post-2015 agenda, member states, U.N. representatives and other stakeholders all agreed the future Sustainable Development Goals should “leave no one behind.”
HelpAge International, together with the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York, has worked to ensure the SDGs should include the rights of people in older age so that commitment to “leave no one behind” is truly realized.
Throughout the process to date, we have highlighted the importance of developing a framework that reflects the reality of the world as we find it — and the fact is that global population is ageing, progressively and fast. It’s an unprecedented phenomenon that is affecting every single country in the world. People aged 60 and over are the fastest-growing global age group, and women account for an increasing share of this. In 2012, people over 60 constituted 11 per cent of the world’s population, but by 2030 this figure will have increased to 16 per cent, and there will be more people aged 60 and over than under 10.
About the author
Rachel Albone
Rachel Albone is HIV policy adviser for HelpAge International. She is also co-founder of the Caregivers Action Network, a global advocacy network calling for the full recognition and support of community caregivers. Prior to joining HelpAge in 2008, Albone worked as a consultant undertaking projects for DfID, UNAIDS, the Dutch government and various international NGOs.
