The aid agencies HelpAge International and Age International, if not now when? have joined together to criticise the humanitarian sector for its failure to address the needs of older people in emergencies.
Verity McGivern, HelpAge’s Humanitarian Advocacy Adviser and co-author of the report said that it is heartbreaking to see how older people’s needs often neglected in emergency responses just when they are most at risk.
“The aid community has made promises to rectify this, but progress is long overdue. Too many older people’s lives depend on it. In the face of conflict, climate change, and cuts to humanitarian aid, older people are increasingly at risk in emergencies, but the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled this to a whole new level,” she said.
Whereas, Regional humanitarian manager for Latin America & Caribbean for HelpAge International Ingrid Kuhfeldt, said that it is extremely difficult to access funding for older people as opposed to, giving an example of women and children, since it is seen as a more ‘engaging way to attract aid’.
“Disaggregated data on older people, highlighting their specific needs, is very hard to obtain. The UN is thankfully getting much better at this, but most national civil society NGOs don’t provide this information. In Venezuela, that is because older people are not seen as important by many, even within families,” she said.
The report has criticised the humanitarian sector for adopting a ‘one size fits all’ aid approach which fails to take into account the specific needs of older people and stops many older people from accessing even general services.
According to the report, the aid agencies found that 39 percent of older people surveyed could not reach aid distribution points independently and whilst almost all (98 percent) had a medical condition, almost half said there was no medicine available (49%) and that health services were too expensive (46 percent).
COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the situation which has thrown into stark relief the gulf between the risks facing older people and the level of support available to them.
“The specific needs of older people are often neglected during emergencies so it’s hardly surprising that the aid delivered fails to meet these. Aid agencies must include older people in consultations: their lives matter and the important contribution older people can make in their communities during an emergency, improving lives for everyone, should not be overlooked,” said Ken Bluestone, Head of Policy and Influencing at Age International and co-author of the report.
He added that findings of their report show how the humanitarian system is systematically failing older people in what is tantamount to neglect and in spite of making promises, older people are consistently being left behind.
“There is a further risk that the ability to fulfil commitments to older people in humanitarian settings will be compromised, if governments reduce their aid commitments,” he added.
He concluded by saying that their recommendations can help the humanitarian sector respond to the Covid-19 pandemic in a better way for older people.
If not now, when? provides urgent recommendations for humanitarian actors, donors and agencies for an inclusive humanitarian response for older people.
By Joy Kyalo