The UN has designated October 1st as the International Day of Older Persons. This year’s theme is “The Journey to Age Equality” with a focus on ways to cope with existing inequalities and to prevent future old age inequality. Around the world, events are being planned to draw attention to the rights of older persons. To find out more please click here.
Regarding an international convention on the Rights of Older Persons
GRAN has recently convened a Watch Group for the purpose of keeping track of developments at the United Nations and around the world on the issue of a Convention on the Rights of Older Persons and keeping GRAN informed when there are opportunities for advocacy action.
The Convention’s purpose would be to provide an instrument to protect the rights of people in their old age. To learn more about this and to find out 10 reasons why we need this Convention, click here.
Advocacy GRAN Style: The Grandmothers Advocacy Network
We are proud and excited to introduce you to a wonderful new video that showcases the amazing women and the meaningful work of GRAN. We hope you will find inspiration in our shared stories as we continue to advocate for the rights of grandmothers, children and youth of sub- Saharan Africa.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words - so please click here to watch and share - this is who we are!
Janet and Jenny
Co Chairs GRAN
On Thursday, August 22, 2019 GRAN was proud to be represented by Irene Clarke when Minister Monsef announced that Canada will be increasing its investment in the Global Fund by 15.7% to a total of CAD $930.4 million over three years (2020-2022).
A huge shout out to all those GRAN members who sent postcards, letters and tweets, and met with the Parliamentary Secretary and MPs to press Canada and the international community to make this investment that will save millions of lives. Once again we have demonstrated that by working in partnership and by speaking out, our advocacy can help change the lives of African grandmothers.
For more on the funding announcement click here.
On July 11, 2019, all fourteen civil society and labour union representatives of the government’s Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Body on Responsible Business Conduct Abroad (Advisory Body) tendered their resignations. The unanimous decision to resign is due the erosion of civil society and labour unions’ trust and confidence in the government’s commitment to international corporate accountability.
This comes as a result of the government’s decision to backtrack on its promise to create a Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE).
Read the English article here.
Lisez la version française ici.
Good News! At last year’s G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Québec, Canada committed $400 million to support education for girls and women, especially in crisis situations. Just last week, at G7 development ministerial meetings in Paris, France, Canada’s Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Maryam Monsef, concluded the meetings with an announcement to support 25 new projects, predominately in sub-Saharan Africa, to improve access to education for women and girls. GRAN is pleased to hear that Minister Monsef promises to continue to work together with partners to ensure that women and girls around the world are given equal access to quality education, thus supporting their empowerment, learning, and protection. Read the full Global Affairs Canada news release by clicking here.
This week Canada announced its first education project to be funded from the $400 million G7 Charlevoix Declaration on Quality Education made in June 2018. The Honourable Maryam Monsef announced $5-million to support the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE) project in Sierra Leone, “Transforming Girls’ Education.” This project will train more than 200 teachers in gender-responsive pedagogy. Over 160,000 students will benefit from this initiative. Congratulations to CODE for their successful proposal.
Read more at
https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2019/06/minister-monsef-announces-support-for-education-project-in-sierra-leone.html
If the general public worldwide was asked the question, “What are your thoughts on elder abuse?” the answers would be as diverse as are people and cultures. The general response, however, is likely to be one of either denial or condemnation:
“It doesn’t happen here.”
“Families are not caring for their elderly.”
“Society in general doesn’t value the older person.”
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is held annually on June 15th and represents "the one day in the year when the whole world voices its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted on some of our older generations." [UN-Ageing]
Although awareness may be improving around the world, elder abuse continues to be poorly investigated in national studies on violence and is one of the least addressed societal and public health issues in national action plans.
What can individuals do to address this often under-reported and overlooked human rights issue? To see empowerment in action, read this story of Malong Pitsi, an elder rights activist from Losotho. She is an inspiration to us all!
GRAN is urging the federal government to keep its promise to provide the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) with real powers. We have joined our voices with the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability in a strong letter to Minister Carr saying,
“Canada must fulfill its commitment to an independent ombudsperson”.
Click here to read the full text of the letter.
Here is an example of how the Global Fund makes a significant difference to those living with Tuberculosis……
New TB drug reduces treatment time
by donttradeourlivesaway
Source: Health E News
20th May, 2019
A major shot in the arm is set to boost South Africa’s fight against tuberculosis. A grant from the Global Fund is expected to boost the implementation of tuberculosis drug 3HP, a short course TB preventative therapy regimen that combines TB drugs, isoniazid and rifapentine. South African National Aids Council CEO, Sandile Buthelezi is excited that the grant will assist with the rolling out of 3HP, which is recommended for people living with HIV. Click here for the full article.
In our May GRAN Update, we heard that the 10th annual session of the Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) on Ageing had taken place at the United Nations (UN) this past April.
The OEWG’s main purpose is to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older people. It has started to seriously consider establishing an international Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
In many countries around the world, older people are discriminated against on the basis of their age, affecting their human rights including their right to health, to education and lifelong learning, to economic security and to social protection and freedom from violence.
Rights matter, and around the world, elder rights activists like Mateboho Leboho, a grandmother from Lesotho, are starting to claim their rights. To learn more about what motivates Mateboho, click here.
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