Overview

HelpAge International’s report, Investing in Equality – Addressing the Funding Gap for Older Women, exposes an alarming finding: only 0.1 per cent of aid focused on gender equality specifically includes older women. Of the US$ 5.7 billion of aid spent on gender equality projects, a mere US$ 7.8 million includes older women. Older women, who represent a rapidly growing demographic, are being neglected at every level of global development. With such a small fraction of gender-focused aid reaching them, the international community is overlooking the lived realities of millions. The data is clear: donor priorities must change. A failure to invest in older women is a failure to achieve true gender equality. The international community has the power—and the responsibility—to address this gap. It is crucial for donors to adopt an all-ages approach, ensuring that policies and programmes include older women through both mainstreaming and targeted initiatives. Without urgent action, the gender equality agenda will remain incomplete. As the world ages, older women cannot afford to be left behind. The global community must refocus its efforts on empowering women at every stage of life.