Building a better world for older people
Why the next UK General Election is important for older people around the world
Watch our manifesto trailer
Why the UK General Election matters for older people worldwide
This year, it's expected that the UK will go to the polling booths to decide who will form the next UK Government. Whilst the date of the General Election hasn’t been confirmed yet, it’s the role of the current UK Government to call an election before the maximum five-year term is up in December 2024.
The candidates elected as MPs in each constituency not only have the power to shape plans and policies within the UK, but also the UK’s commitments to the international community and its development and humanitarian work. This includes policy and advocacy with other governments and global organisations, like the United Nations, and providing funding (UK Aid) and other assistance to people living in challenging circumstances.
We live in an ageing world, which creates both opportunities and challenges. We want to ensure that the UK’s global commitments consider the rights and needs of older people. This is our opportunity to show the next UK Government and Opposition how we can make a better world for all older people, and place their voices and experiences front and centre.
What Age International is calling for from the next UK Government
Despite a globally ageing population, the rights and needs of older people are too often overlooked. By engaging those who will form the next UK Government and Opposition, we have the chance to place older people worldwide on their agenda.
Age International has developed five calls to action which reflect the aspirations and experiences of the older people we work with in over 30 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. These are presented in our 2024 manifesto, ‘Building A Better World For Older People’.
Our manifesto calls on the next UK government to:
1. Make history by championing older people’s rights globally
Across the world, older people continually demonstrate they are resilient and have much to offer. Yet they experience daily violations of their rights, are too often denied access to work and healthcare, and are prevented from participating fully in society.
The next UK Government has the chance to make history by championing the creation of a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons – making protecting older people’s rights a legal obligation across the globe and building a fairer future for all.
2. Tackle gender inequality for women of all ages globally
Tackling gender inequality means protecting the rights of all women and girls, and ensuring they don’t experience further discrimination in later life. In many countries, it is grandmothers who enable girls to stay in school, or who hold families together when parents have died or moved away to work.
We urge the UK Government to drive forward gender equality for women of all ages, helping to create a world where everyone can thrive.
3. Strengthen global healthcare to maximise wellbeing in later life
We know that improving GP access and reducing hospital waiting lists are a top priority for older people in the UK. Better access to healthcare is also a priority for older people in low and middle-income countries, as often they can’t afford or reach even the most basic services.
The UK Government must ensure older people are included when delivering on its commitment to universal health coverage for all and to strengthening health systems in the world’s poorest communities.
4. Ensure international development, humanitarian and climate policy and practice include older people.
The world is changing. Globally, by 2050 there will be over 2 billion older people aged 60 and over. Older people will make up one-fifth of the world’s population, with 80% living in low and middle-income countries. They are among those most affected by climate change and growing levels of conflict across the world, but they are often overlooked.
Their voices need to be heard.
5. Make older lives visible by including them in data collection and analysis.
It’s profoundly wrong that the lives of older people, and those most in need of support, are invisible to those with the power to make change.
Join us in calling on the next UK Government to ensure older people are counted when data is collected, policy is written, and plans are made. Help put older people’s rights firmly on the agenda for political leaders.
Despite a globally ageing population, the rights and needs of older people are too often overlooked. By engaging those who will form the next UK Government and Opposition, we have the chance to place older people worldwide on their agenda.
Age International has developed five calls to action which reflect the aspirations and experiences of the older people we work with in over 30 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. These are presented in our 2024 manifesto, ‘Building A Better World For Older People’.
Our manifesto calls on the next UK government to:
1. Make history by championing older people’s rights globally
Across the world, older people continually demonstrate they are resilient and have much to offer. Yet they experience daily violations of their rights, are too often denied access to work and healthcare, and are prevented from participating fully in society.
The next UK Government has the chance to make history by championing the creation of a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons – making protecting older people’s rights a legal obligation across the globe and building a fairer future for all.
2. Tackle gender inequality for women of all ages globally
Tackling gender inequality means protecting the rights of all women and girls, and ensuring they don’t experience further discrimination in later life. In many countries, it is grandmothers who enable girls to stay in school, or who hold families together when parents have died or moved away to work.
We urge the UK Government to drive forward gender equality for women of all ages, helping to create a world where everyone can thrive.
3. Strengthen global healthcare to maximise wellbeing in later life
We know that improving GP access and reducing hospital waiting lists are a top priority for older people in the UK. Better access to healthcare is also a priority for older people in low and middle-income countries, as often they can’t afford or reach even the most basic services.
The UK Government must ensure older people are included when delivering on its commitment to universal health coverage for all and to strengthening health systems in the world’s poorest communities.
4. Ensure international development, humanitarian and climate policy and practice include older people.
The world is changing. Globally, by 2050 there will be over 2 billion older people aged 60 and over. Older people will make up one-fifth of the world’s population, with 80% living in low and middle-income countries. They are among those most affected by climate change and growing levels of conflict across the world, but they are often overlooked.
Their voices need to be heard.
5. Make older lives visible by including them in data collection and analysis.
It’s profoundly wrong that the lives of older people, and those most in need of support, are invisible to those with the power to make change.
Join us in calling on the next UK Government to ensure older people are counted when data is collected, policy is written, and plans are made. Help put older people’s rights firmly on the agenda for political leaders.
Ask your election candidates to champion older people worldwide
We hope you’ll join us in standing up for older people in low and middle-income countries ahead of the General Election. We want to ensure the issues affecting them are firmly on the radar of the next UK Government and Opposition. To do this, we must show that it matters to the UK public.
By raising these issues with parliamentary candidates, we can build a vision for them of a country that cares about global equality and wants more for older people worldwide. Age International has made it easy for you to contact your local election candidate and urge them to champion older people locally, nationally and internationally.
More info on our manifesto, including a downloadable PDF and examples of how change can be achieved, is available on the publications section of our website:
If you would like to request printed copies of our manifesto or have any questions, email us on info@ageinternational.org.uk.
Keep an eye out for more ways you can join us in building a better world for older people by signing up to our mailing list or following us on social media:
Together, we can show the future Government that the UK public wants more for older people worldwide.
Related reports
'Universal Health Coverage for All Ages: An Agenda for Action'
This report makes the case for age-inclusive health systems strengthening, drawing on our experience working with older people worldwide and making recommendations for UK international development.
'If not now, when? Keeping promises to older people affected by humanitarian crises'
Older people are marginalised and in some cases excluded by humanitarian responses. Our report provides recommendations for humanitarian actors, donors and agencies.
'Older women: the hidden workforce'
Globally, older women are contributing unrecognised yet critical support to their families, communities and economies. This report sets out recommendations to address this inequality.
HelpAge International UK, trading as Age International, is a registered charity (no. 1128267-8) and a subsidiary of Age UK (charity no. 1128267 and registered company no. 6825798); both registered in England and Wales. The registered address is 7th Floor, One America Square, 17 Crosswall, London, EC3N 2LB.
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