The NGO Committee on Ageing supports four side events at the 54th Session of the Commission on Social Development
The priority theme of the CSocD54 was “Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world.” The CSocD54 was an important one, as it was the first session after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. During the Commission the Committee on Ageing sponsored or co-sponsored four side events.
Wednesday, February 3
Title: Adult Vaccinations, The Forgotten Strategy in Healthy Ageing
Organizers: International Federation on Aging
Speaker(s):
- Representative, Mission of Turkey
- Dr Jane Barratt, Secretary General, International Federation on Ageing
- Dr Stephen Kagan, Senior Director, Global Medical Affairs, Rare Disease at Pfizer
- Dr Cynthia Stuen, NGO Committee on Ageing
Details: The main objective of the moderated panel discussion is to: a) Raise awareness of the impact of poor uptake rates of adult vaccination on the health, well-being and contribution of older people to society b) Position the issue of adult vaccinations within the WHO World Report on Ageing and Health and the UN Sustainable Development Goals c) Discuss concrete policies and strategies that have been implemented to improve the uptake rates of vaccinations and d) Identify opportunities for government and non-government to help maintain and build the capacity of older people through access to appropriate vaccinations.
Thursday, February 4
Title: Ensuring Health and Wellbeing across the Lifespan: Indicators, Challenges, and Opportunities
Organizers: Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, co-sponsors: Psychology Coalition at the UN, NGO Health Committee, NGO Committee on Mental Health, NGO Committee on Aging, International Association of Applied Psychology, International Association for Psychotherapy
Speaker(s):
- Mr. Werner Obermeyer, Deputy to the Director NY Office, World Health Organization
- Dr. Toni Antonucci, Psychology and Research Professor, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Social Sciences and Humanities Research VP, Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging
- Dr. Vivian Pender, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College
- Chair, NGO Committee on Mental Health Dr. Rachel Ravich, UN/NGO Main Representative, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Program Co-Chair Psychology Coalition at the UN
Details: This Side Event will discuss the development of meaningful indicators for mental health and well-being and will seek to propose strategies for their implementation in the context of the WHO Mental Health Action Plan.
Thursday, February 4
Title: Innovations on Inclusion: Leave No One Behind
Organizers: DESA/HelpAge International/Mission of Finland
Speaker(s):
- Mme Vappu Taipale, Occupy Your Age/Valli: ‘Innovation to promote accessible urban environments’
- Mr Tony German and Ms Judith Randel, Development Initiatives: Innovations on data disaggregation through the SDG Project P20i, focussing on poverty, gender age and disability data
- Marion Steff, SightSavers and Mosharraf Hussain ADD: Participatory research project ‘Voices of the marginalised ‘with older people and people with disabilities in Bangladesh and Tanzania
Details: Objective is to highlight civil society platforms that are promoting practical innovations on taking forward ‘leaving no one behind” in the implementation of Agenda 2030, focusing on strengthening inclusive societies in an ageing world.
Monday, February 8
Title: e-Ageing: The Ageing society and the role of Innovation/ICT applications
Organizers: Japanese Mission, Waseda University, APEC, UNDESA/DSPD
Speaker(s):
- Dr. Toshio Obi, Prof.Waseda University Chair of APEC project on e-Ageing
- Dr. J.P. Auffret, Prof. George Mason University, VP of International Academy of CIO
- Dr. Naoko Iwasaki, Prof. Waseda University
- Mr. Jim Giguere, Researcher, IAC World Academic Council on e-Ageing
- Representatives of UN Focal Point on Ageing
- Ms. Jantima Sirisaengtaksin, Senior Researcher, Thammasat University, ex-DG of Revenue Department of Thailand government
- Mr. Peter Jensen, Head of e-Ageing group, European Commission, EU
- Mr. Cheow Chan, CIO, IDA of Singapore government
- LIM Swee Cheang, National University of Singapore
Details: This event will consider the transition from the Millennium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals through a discussion of the following topics:
- Growing population of Older Persons
- Global Priorities and Grand design toward 2030
- Ageing as a global issue
- Government, universal healthcare and pensions
- Historical Convergence of Ageing + Information Societies
- Rise of “Super-Ageing Society” (reference Japanese Model)
- Proposal on the 3rd General Assembly-World Summit on Ageing Society
- Comprehensive Digital Tech Innovation as solution model