UN Expert calls for action against violence targeting older women

Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, has issued a report to the UN General Assembly calling for urgent government action to address violence, exploitation, and neglect against older women. The report highlights how ageism and sexism often combine to make such violence invisible or treat it as an unavoidable consequence of aging.

With the global population of women aged 60 or older estimated at 664 million in 2025 and projected to reach 1.13 billion by 2050, Alsalem emphasizes that these women face distinct, intersectional forms of violence. This includes physical, psychological, sexual, and economic abuse, as well as coercive control, abandonment, and technology-facilitated violence.

Specific harms identified include the exploitation of pensions and property, digital exclusion, and the denial of healthcare or assistive devices. The report notes that violence occurs in various settings, including homes, care institutions, prisons, and conflict zones. Furthermore, marginalized groups such as widows, migrant women, and women with disabilities face heightened risks and significant barriers to reporting abuse or obtaining justice.