OLD AGE IN HUMANITARIAN PRACTICE The terms of the problem GENCap workshop, February 2012

A matter of principle Humanitarian operations, by and large, appear driven by “knee jerk” reflexes - almost automatic responses based on standard modalities, with little consideration for the actual needs. When looked at from the perspective of older people, in particular, humanitarian operations amount to a fundamental, massive breach of the principle of impartiality.

One common misconception «Old age is an issue for developed countries»

Second common misconception «Old people are taken care of by their families» “Around the world, family support networks are in decline” UNFPA Skiped-generation families Active discrimination

Third common misconception «Old people’s needs are basically the same as for anybody else» Example 1: HEALTH – Communicable vs. non- communicable diseases Example 2: FOOD – The consumption dylemma; dry rations Example 3: SHELTER – Active exclusion Example 4: MOBILITY – US and Uganda

Fourth common misconception «Old people are taken care of as part of the overall humanitarian effort» When assessment data are collected, they are generally not disaggregated by sex and age. (SADD Tufts University study) In many cases, data about older people are simply not collected. (WHO example; Horn of Africa nutritional survey) Older people are basically ignored in the planning and execution of humanitarian operations.

“Ignored?” HelpAge International and Handicap International Humanitarian Financing Study 2012 This research study examined the UN Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) for 14 countries and four Flash Appeals that took place in 2010 and All the projects submitted to these appeals were examined – a total of 6,003, the majority (5,330) under the CAP. In 2010 and 2011, 47 projects (0.78 per cent) included at least one activity targeting older people, and 18 of these were funded (0.3 per cent). In about half of these projects (21), the targeting of older people accounted for less than 25 per cent of total project activities.

Influencing practice in the field 11 deployments of ageing advisors to Protection Clusters through secondment from HAI to UNHCR Recent review: “There is no doubting the popularity and usefulness of the programme for those countries benefiting from a secondment. Nor is there any doubt that 1. it is appropriate, cost-effective and replicable in its implementation, and that 2. significant contributions have been made in each country to best practice in the protection and assistance of older people in emergencies”.

But… “demand” for the service being more created from the centre than generated from country programmes. There have been a number of management weaknesses which have impinged on the effectiveness of some assignments. Being one-off arrangements, there have been inevitable problems in measuring outputs or outcomes. Continuing technical support, either close or remote, is an enduring issue. Because they tend to be isolated country experiences, there are questions as to the transferability of good and best practice across and between country programmes

Age and Gender advisors? Strong rationale as described in the framework paper Workload/portfolio Placement HelpAge ECHO proposal