Aware of the effects of increasing human longevity, which results in growing numbers of older women in all populations;
Recognizing the value of older women in the community and the indispensable contribution which the more active of them make to the development of society at all levels;
Recalling the UN-Principles for Older Persons - res. 46/91 of 16 December 1991, the International Plan of Action on Ageing, adopted by the World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 37/51 of 3 December 1982, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights (1993), the Programme of Action of the UN-World Conference on Population and Development (Cairo 1994), the Declaration and the Plan of Action of the World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen in March 1995, the Declaration and the Plan of Action of the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in September 1995, the Habitat Agenda of Istanbul (1996),
Bearing in mind the International Council of Women's past work on Older Women, including the resolutions of 1988 "Old Age" (adequate pensions, services, active participation) and 1994 "The Image of Ageing",
THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN calls upon its affiliated Councils to urge their respective governments and the competent authorities
1. to ensure the provision of retirement pensions for women which are adequate to meet their needs for food, clothing, shelter, health care and self-support;
2. to provide for older women life-long appropriate educational and training programmes for the full development of their potential, taking into account changing socio-economic situations, technologies and culture;
3. to promote the active role of women in society through intergenerational cooperation;
4. to provide a safer living environment for older women, where they can live with dignity, free of exploitation and physical and mental abuse.
THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN further Calls upon its Affiliated National Councils to:
1. promote activities and projects at all levels of their Council work (national, provincial/state, local community) which are intergenerational in aspect and which involve older persons in the planning of such activities and projects,
2. a) review and study all available material on the financial situation of older women produced nationally or by relevant organisations or UN-agencies; consider ways in which younger women may seek to ensure economic security in their old age,
b) facilitate seminars, workshops and study groups for younger women to aid them in the planning and preparation for a secure financial future,
3. encourage older women to continue to use their expertise and to expand their development through life-long appropriate educational and training programmes,
4. undertake an audit of local community conditions to determine if older women live in safety with dignity, free of exploitation and physical, mental and financial abuse.
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Source: International Council of Women (ICW-CIF) — 29th General Assembly, Helsinki, Finland, July 2–8, 2000. Resolution No. 14.
