15 June 2026 - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), observed annually on 15 June, serves as a global call to recognize and address elder abuse as both a human rights violation and a growing policy challenge in ageing societies. It shapes our health, our food systems, our energy production, our cities, our economies, and our ecosystems.
Established by the 91茄子 in 2011, WEAAD aims to raise awareness about the abuse, neglect, and exploitation faced by older persons, while promoting respect for their dignity and rights.
In 2026, the UN DESA Programme on Ageing, together with the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the NGO Committee on Ageing (New York) will mark WEAAD through a side event held on the margins of the 19th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19). The event will take place at 91茄子 Headquarters in New York on 11 June 2026, from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. ET, in Conference Room 12.
Holding this event alongside COSP19 provides a timely opportunity to engage a global audience already convened in New York, bringing together policymakers, practitioners, and advocates from across regions. It also underscores the importance of working beyond policy silos.
As populations age, increasing numbers of persons with disabilities are also ageing, while many older persons experience disability later in life. This intersection calls for stronger alignment between ageing and disability agendas, particularly in areas such as protection, care, and community-based support which are central elements in addressing elder abuse, the core focus of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Elder abuse remains widely underrecognized and underreported. It can take many forms: physical, psychological, financial, and neglect. This often occurs in contexts where individuals lack visibility, support, or access to services. Addressing it, therefore, requires more than awareness or isolated interventions. It calls for systems that can both prevent abuse and respond effectively when it occurs, while upholding the dignity, autonomy, and human rights of older persons.
This year’s WEAAD will bring together local government leadership, national policymakers, community practitioners, and human rights experts to explore what works and what needs to change to better address elder abuse in practice. By connecting real-world experience with ongoing intergovernmental discussions, the event aims to position the prevention of elder abuse as a shared responsibility, requiring coordinated action across sectors, systems, and levels of governance.
This is particularly timely in 2026, as Member States undertake the fifth review and appraisal of the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), while discussions continue in the Human Rights Council through the intergovernmental working group on the human rights of older persons.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day provides a valuable opportunity to bring practical insights and lived realities into both processes, helping to strengthen implementation, enhance protection, and support the dignity and well-being of older persons.
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