23rd plenary meeting

4 May 1982

Elderly women and the World Assembly on Aging

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 32/131 of 16 December 1977, 33/52 of 14 December 1978, 34/153 of 17 December 1979 and 35/129 of 11 December 1980,

Further recalling resolution 13, entitled "Social security and family security for women, including the elderly and the handicapped", adopted by the World Conference of the International Women's Year, and resolution 4, entitled "Elderly women and economic security", adopted by the World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace,

Emphasizing the fact that, because the increasing life expectancy of women exceeds that of men in many developing and more developed societies, elderly women are a fast-growing segment of the national population,

Aware that elderly women have suffered from past discrimination and lack of opportunity and that in many countries the economic plight of elderly women is becoming more serious,

Concerned that this situation is further complicated by increased migration of family members and other cultural phenomena resulting in socio-economic hardships for the aging,

Bearing in mind the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

1. Urges that the special problems faced by elderly women, such as income security, education, employment, housing, health and community support services, should be given explicit and full attention by the World Assembly on Aging to be held at Vienna from 26 July to 6 August l982, and should be dealt with in the plan of action to be adopted by the World Assembly;

2. Requests States Members of the United Nations to ensure that women are included in the preparations for the World Assembly on Aging and are appointed as members of their delegations to that Assembly;

3. Requests the United Nations and its Member States to continue to collect data on the situation of elderly women to serve as a basis for formulating and implementing policies and programmes to define their special economic and social planning needs;

4. Urges all Governments, national and international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, the mass media, educational bodies and all individuals concerned to strengthen their efforts to adopt or change national laws to ensure that elderly women have equal opportunities to live in health, dignity, self-reliance and self-fulfilment.