UNECE

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

This year’s observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) at 1:30pm (NYC time) on June 15 coincides with the fourth review of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Ministerial Conference on Ageing in Rome, Italy. While there will be an in-person WEAAD observance, we are pleased to invite everyone to participate virtually.

Details and registration hereWorld Elder Abuse Awareness Day

In preparation for the event, this month the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY participated in the review and appraisal cycle of MIPAA in Rome. A new preamble paragraph has been added to recall the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, and the convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, among other treaties and covenants. The fact remains that older persons remain invisible and unprotected. The pandemic’s excessive toll on older persons has documented that human rights of older persons are not being protected. We must continue to advocate for a legally binding document to protect the human rights of all older persons.

Please note: The UN International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) will be held once again in person at the UN (and live webcast). The exact observance date is pending due to space availability at the UN. The NGO Committee on Ageing-NY is collaborating on the theme with its counterparts in Geneva and Vienna on addressing older women and issues of climate change, pandemic and other issues, but from the perspective of the resilience and contributions of older women. Robin Fenley is chairing this year’s observance.

Note: The new chair of the Vienna Committee on Ageing is Shantu Watt and in Geneva, the new chair is Kelly Fitzgerald.

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CoNGO Notes: The NGO Committee on Ageing-NY is a Substantive Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. Likewise, for more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org

UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

6 and 7 April 2022

Registration for the 2022 Regional Forum taking place on 6 and 7 April is now open!

The Forum will take place in a hybrid format at the Palais des Nations.

For technical reasons, possibilities for remote interventions will be

limited throughout the event – physical participation is therefore greatly encouraged when possible.

The deadline for registrations is 31 March 2022, 23:59 (CET).

Please regularly check this registration section as registration for side events will be added soon.

Opening and High-level Policy Segment

Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the UNECE Region

OPENING

H.E. Mr. Edil Baisalov 

Chair of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan

Ms. Amina J. Mohammed

Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

Ms. Olga Algayerova

UNECE Executive Secretary and United Nations Under-Secretary-General

Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger

Vice-Chair of the Regional Collaborative Platform for Europe and Central Asia and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS

HIGH-LEVEL POLICY SEGMENT

Keynote address by Dr. Åsa Persson

Research Director and Deputy Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute

Member of the Independent Group of Scientists for the 2023 UN Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR)

The keynote speech will set the scene for the high-level debate and highlight the latest scientific findings on the SDGs, taking into account the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and related recovery measures. In addition, the process to prepare the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) and its preliminary framework will be introduced to the audience.

PLENARY DEBATE

Statements by high-level representatives of member States and reporting of key messages from pre-meetings (Forum of Mayors, Civil Society Forum, Joint IPU/ECE webinar with parliamentarians) 

13:00hrs
until 15:00hrs
APRIL 06
2022
Lunch break
15:00hrs
until 17:00hrs
APRIL 06
2022
Peer learning round tables
10:00hrs
until 12:00hrs
APRIL 07
2022
Peer learning round tables
15:00hrs
until 17:00hrs
APRIL 07
2022
Plenary Session and Closing

Forward-looking policies for a sustainable COVID-19 recovery

 

H.E. Mr.  Edil Baisalov 

Chair of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan

 

The session will discuss forward-looking polices to promote a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the key messages from the peer learning sessions on the SDGs under in-depth review (4, 5, 14, 15, and 17).

Particular attention will be given to policy coherence and addressing trade-offs in SDG policies and COVID-19 recovery measures at regional, subregional, national and local levels. In this context, experiences from UNECE member States that have presented or will present Voluntary National Review (VNRs) at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development will be discussed, with emphasis on VNRs as a means to promote policy coherence and multi-level collaboration. Lessons from Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and from the regional and subregional levels will also be considered.

The session will feature a multi-stakeholder panel, composed of two representatives from member States, a mayor and a representative of civil society. 

PLENARY DEBATE

CLOSING

Ms. Olga Algayerova

UNECE Executive Secretary and United Nations Under-Secretary-General

Mr.  Edil Baisalov 

Chair of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan

Sustainable Ageing in a Digital World

Objectives:

An increasing number of concerns have been raised regarding the risks of leaving vulnerable groups behind in a hyper-digitalised world which includes older and marginalised populations. Therefore, digital inclusion needs to be a top priority in terms of public policy making from a human rights and from an economic productivity point of view. The latter is of particular importance for countries that do not yet have an adequate social safety net for their citizens and also for countries faced with the challenge of older persons soon outnumbering the younger population. Responsive policies could empower the older population who are not yet digitally proficient to reap the potential benefits of the digital technology and support their participation in an increasingly digitalized economy and society.

An ageing workforce poses a known dilemma to companies. Older employees who hold more manual and less highly skilled jobs tend to be less familiar with ICT and less equipped to participate in today’s digitalised workplace. Excluding older workers and employees from acquiring digital literacy and minimal competence to work in an ICT dense workplace would reduce retraining costs but might jeopardize productivity and externalise social costs. For example, in service sector where companies’ productivity might actually increase with age due to accumulation of tacit knowledge and abilities to network across age groups with clients. This will take younger employees more time, emotional intelligence and social capital. Hence productivity might be higher for a socially skillful older staff. While many routine works continue to be necessary within an ICT integrated work environment, older workers, arguably with greater patience, are better equipped to carry out the more routine data processing tasks with less errors and need for rework.

Inclusion of older workers in the development of digital competence would also make sense since many of the customer services and other more routine type of work connected to data platform interactions will continue to require a human touch for all age groups. A later life work pattern will become the norm in many of the ageing societies. Hence, acquiring digital literacy would enable older workers to remain active and productive longer. The aim of this panel is to broaden the public’s understanding about the impact of digital technology on ageing in the context of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) which has accelerated the coverage and depth of digitalization in both public and private domains.

The key note speech will be based on the newly published policy brief on “Ageing in the Digital Era” by the UNECE and highlight the barriers to digital technology adoption and the use of digital tools in later life and suggest action areas for policy makers. Panelists will discuss various policy considerations for governments to adopt.

Learn more and register here: https://hopin.com/events/unisa-iasia-hybrid-conference

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. 

Civil Society Forum ahead of UNECE RFSD 2021

Hi friends,

Our yearly civil society forum ahead of UNECE’s Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) will take place online, so we have split up our strategy meeting into two parts and an orientation session over the spacing of two days. Please note that you do need to register to all three sessions latest 7 March 2021 to receive the zoom access link. Below is an overview of the various sessions:

March 8 Agenda

10:00 am CET/4:00 am EST – Orientation

Are you new to this space? Come along and learn about the Regional Civil society Engagement Mechanism (RCEM), how to do advocacy online, how to navigate the regional forum, and what are the latest updates on HLPF Review? Register here!

12:00 pm CET/6:00 am EST – Strategy Meeting part 1

Civil society will collectively focus on developing common positions which can be used to shape their collective advocacy during the official sessions of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, the peer-learning tables and side events. These positions will also be shared with the global civil society engagement mechanism: Major Group and other Stakeholders. Register here.

March 9 Agenda

12:00 pm CET/6:00 am EST – Strategy Meeting part 2

The second part of our strategy meeting is split into two parts, the first part is a strategic session with UN Agencies and Member States, the second part is open to civil society only and will be used to strategize around SDGs monitoring, with a focus on local, national and regional dynamics. Register here.

If you have any questions around accessibility of the meeting or if you have issues registering, please contact our accessibility coordinator for the civil society forum: Martyna Balciunaite (martyna.balciunaite@eud.eu). The sessions will have Russian, French and Spanish translations.

We hope to see as many of you there as possible!

UNECE- RCEM

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021 on Trade: From short-term disruptions to longer-term resilience

UNCTAD Trade Policy Dialogue

World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021 on trade: From short-term disruptions to longer-term resilience

Please register online at https://unctad.org/meeting/world-economic-situation-and-prospects2021-trade-short-term-disruptions-longer-term

This Trade Policy Dialogue is organized by UNCTAD in partnership with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The session will discuss major findings in the flagship report World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021, which assesses key trends in international trade and agenda for policy, including the roles of global value chains and services in enhancing economic resilience.

Questions:

  • How do we overcome short-term trade disruptions to reinforce longer-term resilience?
  • How do we take advantage of dynamic comparative advantage and “servicification”?
  • How do different countries see the need to revitalize the multilateral trading system?

Programme Agenda:

2:30 p.m. Opening

2:35 p.m. Panel discussion moderated by Miho Shirotori, Head, Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy Branch, UNCTAD

Panelists:

  • Ingo Pitterle, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Global Economic Monitoring Branch, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
  • Bruno Antunes, Economic Affairs Officer, Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy Branch, UNCTAD
  • Polina Tonkikh, Director, World Trade Organization Expertise Centre, Russian Federation

3:20 p.m. Questions and answers

3:35 p.m. Closing

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org.

20 Years of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) and 20 Years UNECE Regional Implementation Strategy (RIS): Experiences, Achievements and the Way Forward

International Federation on Ageing invite you to join a virtual event in collaboration with NGO Committee on Ageing Vienna and Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (Austria):

20 Years Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) 20 Years UNECE Regional Implementation Strategy (RIS): Experiences, Achievements and the Way Forward

Please register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAsfuqhqD8rH9JeeDdWbD5_AJDsVYL6s

Speakers:

  • Alexandre Sidorenko Head of the UN Programme on Ageing 1988-2009 From Vienna to Madrid: The Role of the UN Programme on Ageing Erika Winkler Chair of the UNECE Working Group on Ageing 2010-2017 Austrian Initiative to Establish an UNECE Standing Working Group on Ageing
  • Dirk Jarré President of the European Federation of Older Persons Learning from Experience: The Role of NGOs and the Way Forward Frances Zainoeddin Vice Chair of the NGO Committee on Ageing New York MIPAA and What Else for Older Persons?
  • Vitalija Gaucaite-Wittich Secretary of the UNECE Standing Working Group on Ageing Sustainability of the Intergovernmental Work on Ageing
  • Christoph Angster Austrian representative at the OEWG-A Synergies of the MIPAA Network and the OEWG-A
  • Amal Abou Rafeh Director of the UN Programme on Ageing News from UN Regarding 20 Years MIPAA and the Way Forward

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit  ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org