Overview

Social inclusion is about creating an inclusive society that leaves no one behind. In older age, social inclusion depends on the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms. In practice, however, many older people face significant barriers that limit their ability to participate, to have equal access to resources and services, and to have their voices heard. 'Including us' collates responses from a consultation with older people on their experiences of inclusion. This is one of the two topics for discussion at the thirteenth session of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing in April 2023. This report aims to inform the discussions at this and future sessions. HelpAge Global Network members and country offices carried out the consultation in November 2022. They conducted individual interviews with 50 older people (22 women and 28 men) in 5 countries: Colombia, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines and Spain. All participants lived independently or with family. The findings therefore do not reflect the specific challenges faced by older people in institutional care settings.