22 September 2022, Geneva – Fifty individuals from around the world have been recognised as part of the first ever Healthy Ageing 50: leaders transforming the world to be a better place to grow older. The individuals were evaluated by an expert panel of reviewers from across international organizations with over 500 nominations received across all Sustainable Development Goal regions.
"The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing offers us an unprecedented opportunity to put in place the right policies and services, so that more people experience later life in good health and can continue to do the things they value," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. "I have the pleasure of recognising these world-changing leaders who, often with limited resources, show what can be done – and how – to improve health and well-being for older persons."
This year's Healthy Ageing 50 recognises inspirational champions that showcase what is already possible in the area of healthy ageing, whether at local, national, regional, or global levels. From combatting ageism and developing age-friendly environments, to implementing integrated care and ensuring access to long-term care, the Healthy Ageing 50 demonstrate that actions taken across sectors can transform our world to meet the needs and aspirations of current and future generations of older people.
See the full list of this year's Healthy Ageing 50 on the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Platform here – and explore the stories and achievements of these government leaders, civil society representatives, academics, and professionals from around the world, all working to improve the lives of older people, their families, and communities in unique and impactful ways.
The announcement of the Healthy Ageing 50 marks the 20-year milestone of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) and the second year of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030). The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is a call for multistakeholder and multisectoral collaboration to create a world where all people can live long and healthy lives. The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing was adopted at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in April 2002 and marked a turning point in how the world addresses the key challenge of "building a society for all ages".
The Healthy Ageing 50 is a UN Decade of Healthy Ageing initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the World Economic Forum (the Forum), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
