Home |  Elder Rights |  Health |  Pension Watch |  Rural Aging |  Armed Conflict |  Aging Watch at the UN  

  SEARCH SUBSCRIBE  
 

Mission  |  Contact Us  |  Internships  |    

 



back

 

Some related articles :

Responses to Afghanistan war 

 

Older Afghans ‘could suffer most’


By: Unknown author
Ageing and development, December, 2001

 

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned that older Afghans, both inside and outside their country, could suffer most in the crisis engulfing the region.

Older people who are displaced in Afghanistan or forced to flee the country are at risk of malnutrition and illness, as well as exposure to harsh climatic conditions, warns the IFRC.

Many older people will not be able to flee, due to the particular physical and mobility problems that older people face, and will be under increasing threat from the war. The resulting separation of older people from their families increases their vulnerability.

‘It may not be necessary to provide special services for older people, but it is necessary to ensure that they have access to aid and support services which are available for the rest of the population, and that they are not isolated,’ says IFRC health and care officer, Jennifer Inger. 

‘Older people provide a valuable sense of continuity, culture and history, which could help displaced groups maintain their sense of identity and preserve the cohesion of their community.’

The IFRC has also insisted that older people be consulted on and involved in the delivery of humanitarian assistance – not just in emergencies, but also in longer-term development programmes.

 Report recognizes age. Increased global attention to ageing is also reflected in a report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees  (UNHCR) on the sex and age distribution of refugee populations.

The UNHCR states that gender and age are key factors determining the needs of a population and in planning operational activities. It stresses the need to collect adequate statistical information in emergency situations, and has added the category of over 60s to its data collection.


Copyright © 2002 Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us