A new report
by HelpAge International, the global network that advocates for the rights and
dignity of older people, reveals that when it comes to humanitarian crises, the
needs of the elderly are often overlooked and misunderstood. The survey of 300
older refugees fleeing from conflicts in Syria, South Sudan and Ukraine found
evidence of neglect, poor health provision and feelings of isolation and fear. Marcus Skinner, Help Age’s Humanitarian Policy Manager, spoke to Linda
Bordoni about the report’s findings.
Skinner said that older people are
disproportionately affected when disaster strikes or conflicts flare up,
describing the report as “a snapshot” of older people that reinforces the view
that the elderly are “largely invisible in the design and delivery of
humanitarian aid.”
He said almost
all the older people they talked to in the three countries told them they had
not been consulted about their needs and often were “unable to access
assistance appropriate to their needs.”
Asked about the
older refugees’ psychological state in humanitarian crises, Skinner said almost
half of them reported suffering from depression, anxiety and lack of
hope.
“We need the
raise the profile” about the plight and needs of old people, he said, but all
too often aid providers and policy makers focus on the needs of other
vulnerable groups such as children and woman but not the elderly.
Skinner also
says that HelpAge International will be present later in May at the first-ever
World Humanitarian Summit where it will join other NGOs in lobbying for a
reformed humanitarian system that ensures that no vulnerable person is left
out.
He says that
leading humanitarian agencies have drawn up a Charter
for Inclusion setting
out the pressing commitments needed to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches
the most affected people and invites everyone to sign up to the charter.
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