The Platform
The Platform
2 – 6 May 2022:
WSIS Special Track on ICTs and Older Persons
Your opportunity to join global dialogues on how we can best use digital technologies to foster healthy ageing.
Learn moreThe UN-organised World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum is the world's largest annual gathering of the 'Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development' community, attracting around
50,000 participants. Co-organised by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, the WSIS Forum gathers stakeholders from a wide range of sectors and regions to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals through digital technologies.
In the context of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, the WSIS Forum has recently developed a strong emphasis on healthy ageing through a Special Track on ICTs and Older Persons. This year, the special track
is taking place from 2–6 May 2022, gathering partners from across UN agencies, Member States, civil society organisations, academia, and the private sector for the accelerated implementation of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing
through digital technologies.
Population ageing and increasing digitalisation are two global megatrends happening simultaneously. By 2030, the number of older persons is projected to increase by 34% in a world more digital than ever before. These interconnected
megatrends will impact everyone, everywhere: in this context, policy and decision-makers from all sectors need to work together to respond to older people’s needs and identify solutions to ensure their digital inclusion.
Information and Communication Technologies, commonly referred to as ICTs, play an essential role in fostering healthy and active ageing, and enabling older people’s socio-economic, political, and cultural participation.
Within global efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure that everyone, regardless of age, ability, or gender, is included in this digital era and guarantee that no one is left behind.
You can get involved with the WSIS Forum 2022 by:
Register for the WSIS Forum 2022 events Share your knowledge
For more information about a specific event, please contact the organisers directly by going to the event's Platform page linked below.
For information about the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing and its knowledge exchange Platform,
please contact:
Contact Us
The ICTs and Older Persons special track addresses the role and use of information and communication technologies in several areas, including healthy ageing through remote care and artificial intelligence, age-friendly environments, digital skills for older adults, digital financing and protection of older persons online. In support of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030), this special track highlights the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as powerful enablers to ensure that older people can live a fuller life with dignity and equality – and in a healthy environment. This opening session will discuss stakeholders' contributions towards healthy ageing and strengthen collaborations to the creation of age-friendly digital environments for all.
MoreThe marriage of information and technology is at the core of tomorrow's healthy older...
MoreThe use of digital technologies to foster healthy ageing has become increasingly important...
MoreYesterday’s jobs are being substituted by technology, automation and artificial...
MoreThe use of artificial intelligence (AI) in technologies aimed at fostering healthy ageing are...
MoreVaccines, new medicines, diagnostics, in-home care, and more detailed and...
MoreOne’s health and functional ability is determined by multiple factors, including disease itself....
MoreThe role of digital technologies in facilitating connections and mutual learning for healthy...
MoreIn response to the two global megatrends of population ageing and increasing...
More
By 2050, the number of people aged 65 years or older is projected to reach 1.5 billion....
MoreThe 21st Century is characterized by increasing digitalisation. As more and more everyday...
MoreIn a rapidly digitalizing society, equal opportunities to access and use digital technology are...
MoreThe WHO policy brief Ageism in Artificial Intelligence for Health examines the use of artificial...
MoreIn 2020, Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), with the support of the...
MoreCOVID-19 is accelerating the pace of digital transformation. In so doing, it is opening the...
MoreIn this Nature Ageing World View by World Health Organization Director-General...
MoreThis advocacy brief on social isolation and loneliness among older people highlights the...
MoreThe Global report on ageism outlines a framework for action to reduce ageism including...
MoreDigital technology is gaining great importance as a health tool in today’s world, especially...
MoreThe world is shifting from analog to digital faster than ever before, further exposing us to...
MoreThe Baseline Report for the Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021−2030 addresses five...
MoreThese infographics made for social media summarise the key points of the WHO Policy Brief Ageism in Artificial Intelligence for Health. Over 3 social media tiles, the graphics outline 1) what ageism in artificial intelligence (AI) is, 2) what the risks of ageism in AI for older people are, and 3) 8 ways to maximize the benefits of AI for older people.
MoreIn this video, leaders from four Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) companies – Uber, Bayer, Philips, and Sanofi – talk with GCOA CEO Mike Hodin about digital technologies and how each company is using technology to improve the health and well-being of older adults around the world, from pushing the envelope on what is possible in medical innovation, to expanding the reach of health prevention, to helping manage last mile logistics to better support people in their homes and in their communities. The video was created as part of the celebration of the 2021 UN International Day of Older Persons – Digital Equity for All Ages. GCOA aims to reshape how global leaders approach and prepare for the 21st century’s profound shift in population aging. GCOA uniquely brings together global corporations across industry sectors with common strategic interests in aging populations, a comprehensive and systemic understanding of aging, and an optimistic view of its impact.
MoreBy adopting the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, Member States committed to achieving sustainable development for all nations and peoples and for all segments of society. The Agenda is based on the ideals of inclusiveness and shared prosperity and Member States pledged to leave no one behind and to endeavor to reach the furthest behind first. Digital technologies – the internet, mobile phones, and all the other tools to collect, store, analyze, and share information digitally – have spread rapidly in much of the world. Many of us depend on them to work, to educate the young, and reach out to our friends and family. These technologies have enabled digital public services, digital payments, online learning, telehealth, online shopping and more. However, about half the world’s people access and use the Internet, the other half do not. Millions of people cannot work or go to school remotely or access technology and its benefits. Many of the unconnected live in least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states, and within countries in rural and remote areas or urban impoverished areas. Digital divide still persists between more and less connected countries, communities, and people. Enabling all the world’s people to access and use digital technologies (the Internet including mobile technologies) – and closing digital divides – remains a challenge that needs to be addressed if the world community is to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. UNDESA’s Division for Inclusive Social Development, in partnership with ITU, organized an online global dialogue on “Digital Inclusion for All”. The event gathered high-level technical experts, as well as representatives of Governments, civil society, academic institutions, and the private sector to discuss the urgency of addressing digital inclusion for all.
MoreThis video presents the key messages from the ITU report 'Ageing in a digital world - from vulnerable to valuable'. The report aims to help ITU members and other stakeholders to understand the digital opportunities and take advantage of new possibilities of economic, social and political growth for societies as a result of increasing digital inclusion and the creation of age-friendly digital environments. It highlights trends, identifies good practices and possible solutions, and presents concrete guidelines that can leverage the contributions of older generations, reduce their vulnerability and foster socio-economic development to achieve healthier and wealthier inclusive societies. It focuses on the role that Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) can play in ensuring digitally inclusive communities where older persons are active participants.
MoreThe UN Decade of Healthy Ageing envisions a world in which all people can live long, healthy lives. To make this vision a reality, stakeholders need access to a wide range of knowledge produced across disciplines, sectors, stakeholders, and regions. The Platform for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is a collaborative digital space that supports the Decade by making diverse experiences, expertise, and knowledge on ageing available for everyone, all in one place. To find out more about the Platform, watch this animated video.
MoreListen to the WHO Regional Directors for Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia, and the Western Pacific as they reflect on the importance of knowledge sharing and collaboration to foster healthy ageing, and invite stakeholders to join the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing through the Platform.
MoreThe WHO Ageing Data Portal, part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Platform, brings together data on available global indicators relevant to monitoring the health and well-being of people aged 60 years and over. Through maps, charts and tables, the portal offers tailored options for visualization and analysis of the data. This information will strengthen the visibility of older people, help inform action to improve health and well-being in countries in line with global, regional and national commitments. The Data Portal also offers detailed country profiles to help provide more information at the national level.
MoreThis database provides a searchable list of age-friendly practices implemented by members of the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities, and beyond. In practical terms, age-friendly environments are free from physical and social barriers and supported by policies, systems, services, products and technologies that promote health and build and maintain physical and mental capacity across the life course; and enable people, even when experiencing capacity loss, to continue to do the things they value.
MoreThe Global Dementia Observatory (GDO) Knowledge Exchange Platform contains key resources to support the implementation of the Global action plan on the public heath response to dementia 2017-2025 and its seven action areas. The GDO KE Platform enhances countries’ and communities’ response to dementia. It provides a space for stakeholders to share resources (e.g. policies, guidelines, case studies and examples of good practice) available at no-cost, to facilitate mutual learning and promote the exchange of knowledge in the area of dementia.
MoreHealth information, advice, and reminders delivered through mobile phones can encourage healthy behaviors and help older people to improve and maintain their intrinsic capacity. The WHO mobile health for Ageing (mAgeing) programme has been developed as one of the tools to support the implementation of WHO guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity – also known as the ICOPE Guidelines. The mAgeing programme can support routine care offered by health care professionals by supporting self-care and self-management. The newly published Handbook helps countries develop, run, monitor, and evaluate the mAgeing programme within their own contexts, using basic technology common to most mobile phones. Messages within the handbook are based on the latest WHO guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity (ICOPE guidelines), and built on behavioral change theory. The handbook was developed by the Be He@lthy, Be Mobile initiative, a partnership led by WHO and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and developed in consultation with a wide range of external stakeholders.
MoreThis toolkit was designed for the Global Campaign to Combat Ageism, an initiative part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030). The toolkit will equip you with the necessary resources to learn about ageism, initiate your own conversations about this important topic in your community, organize events to raise awareness, and spread the word through social media to create #AWorld4AllAges.
MoreIn the 21st century, demographic shifts are making a significant impact on the structure of populations, bringing forth the phenomenon of an ageing population. Healthy Ageing for Impact in the 21st Century gives participants the building blocks to become future leaders in this critical area. This course will provide participants with the competencies needed to work on this agenda as part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030), showcasing that societal change for Healthy Ageing can be achieved at scale in an impactful manner.
MoreiSupport is a self-help skills and training programme for carers of people with dementia. Worldwide, around 55 million people have dementia. Dementia causes significant psychological and emotional impact on families and carers. In five modules, iSupport teaches carers what dementia is and how to respond to common challenges of caregiving. The five modules are (i) introduction to dementia; (ii) being a caregiver; (iii) caring for me; (iv) providing everyday care; and (v) dealing with behaviour changes. Carers can choose to work through all modules and lessons consecutively, or select the lessons that are the most relevant to their everyday lives. All lessons consist of brief readings, descriptive examples and several exercises. Carers receive feedback as they work through each exercise.
MoreThis training course provides valuable information on how to address the digital inclusion of older persons in the context of two global megatrends: an ageing population and the exponential rise in digital technologies. It also provides guidelines, tools and resources that aim to achieve healthier and wealthier inclusive digital societies globally. Through its three modules, the course includes holistic information on a range of key topics such as the challenges and opportunities arising from these megatrends; key elements to be considered in the process of digital inclusion; the importance of building inclusive and age-friendly environments; accessibility requirements and standards involved in developing accessible and inclusive ICTs; as well as relevant policy and strategy recommendations.
MoreThe Capacity Building Training Series was designed in partnership with the NYC Department for the Aging to support aging service providers and nonprofits. Through a series of free, interactive presentations, professionals learn best practices for offering virtual programming and have the opportunity to share obstacles and successes from their own experiences.
More