New York: On Friday, the United Nations commemorated the International Day of Older Persons by emphasizing the importance of “digital equality” online for all people, regardless of age.
The subject for 2021 is “Digital Equity for All Ages,” which emphasizes the importance of older people having access to and meaningful involvement in the digital world.
“Perhaps no population might benefit more from support than older persons,” the UN Secretary-General stated in his message, as each individual faces the task of navigating the world’s rising reliance on technology.
The Secretary-General stated that if older people are able to access and utilise modern technologies, they will be better able to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To promote digital equality for people of all ages, he advocated for more inclusive policies, methods, and activities.
During the pandemic, older people were often left more isolated, and they are also more vulnerable to cybercrime, which is on the rise. Despite rapid digital innovation and exponential growth, one-half of the world’s population is still offline, with the greatest disparity between the most developed (87 %) and the least developed (47 %) (19 %). Women and the elderly are more affected by digital disparity than men.
The number of elderly people worldwide is expected to more than double over the next three decades, reaching more than 1.5 billion by 2050. In 2050, less developed countries (excluding the least developed) will account for more than two-thirds (1.1 billion) of the world’s older population.
The biggest growth is expected in the least developed countries, where the number of people aged 65 and more is expected to rise from 37 million in 2019 to 120 million in 2050 (225 %).
