A new UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS adopted by member states on 2 June 2006 commits governments to provide support and rehabilitation to older people, particularly in their role as caregivers.

But the declaration fails to recognise that older people themselves are living with HIV. This is despite the fact that the 2006 UNAIDS Global Report acknowledges that a substantial proportion of adults living with HIV are 50 years and older.

The three-day UN High-Level Meeting reviewed progress against global targets made in the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. This included a commitment to review the social and economic impact of HIV/AIDS on older people and address their special needs.

Older people’s needs must be addressed

HelpAge International, both before and during the three-day-meeting, called on member states to adequately reflect the 2001 commitments towards older people in the new declaration.

International leaders were urged to include regular cash transfers to older people and caregivers in national development plans and budgets.

Despite extensive lobbying, this target was not reviewed. The only session to directly address older people’s issues was a side event organised by HelpAge International.

At this event, participants and speakers from the Government of Thailand, UNICEF, UNDESA, the UK Department for International Development and HelpAge International called the needs of older people to be addressed in their own right, and not just in their relationship to others as caregivers.

Calls were made for:
· social pensions for older people to enable them to support themselves and those in their care;
· better data on who is providing care for people living with HIV and vulnerable children;
· better data on HIV prevalence among older people themselves; and 
· greater inclusion of older people in planning and implementing the response to HIV at all levels.

Lack of specific targets

Negotiations on the wording of the Political Declaration during the three days were tense and lobbying by civil society, including HelpAge International, was instrumental in strengthening the final declaration. Despite this, civil society felt that many of its messages fell on deaf ears.

“HelpAge International welcomes the commitment to older people and social security systems in the declaration. However, we are disappointed that it does not acknowledge older people as vulnerable group with specific needs, and fails to set specific targets towards achieving universal access to treatment by 2010,“ says Jo Maher, HelpAge International’s HIV/AIDS Coordinator.