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European Commission Advisory Committee Opinion on Gender
Dimension of Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations
[Brussels,
01 December 2011] In January 2011, the European Commission Advisory Committee
on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men decided to set up a working group to
prepare an Opinion on the gender dimension of active ageing in
preparation for the European year of Active Ageing and Solidarity of
Generations.
Considering the political context
and ongoing initiatives in the field of healthy, dignified and active ageing,
the Advisory Committee was mandated to consider the following points:
- How
could synergies between national and EU policies in the area of gender
equality and ageing be maximised to address the specific challenges women
and men face arising from an increasingly ageing population?
- How
could the Commission better cooperate with the Member
State authorities, other
European institutions, relevant international bodies and civil society
organisations to ensure that gender equality considerations form an
integral part of new developments on this issue?
- Make
specific suggestions on how to take the gender dimension into account in a
variety of themes falling under ageing policies.
- Make
specific suggestions on how the Commission, Member
States and civil society can
tackle discrimination against older women in the employment and social
spheres.
- Make
specific suggestions for activities and objectives in the area of gender
equality and active ageing to be implemented at EU or national level
during the European Year for Active Ageing.
These points are all discussed,
with relevant recommendations made, within the Opinion. The EWL welcomes the Committee’s
focus on the gender dimension of active ageing, and as a key member of the NGO
AGE Coalition looks forward to working further with the Commission throughout
the European Year 2012.