Elder abuse figured prominently at the United Nations Second World Assembly on Ageing, held in Madrid, Spain from April 8-12, 2002. The Honorable Josefina Carbonell, Assistant Secretary for Aging, US Department of Health and Human Elder Services, who led the US delegation, highlighted the US' commitment to protecting elders from abuse, neglect and exploitation during a speech at the plenary session (www.aoa.gov and at www.un.org/ageing/coverage/usaE.htm), and the topic was further addressed in the International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002 (www.un.org/ageing) adopted by delegates.

Abuse and neglect were also discussed at two related events that immediately preceded the World Assembly. The Valencia Forum, held April 1-4 in Valencia, Spain, which brought together the world's leading researchers, educators and practitioners in aging to engage in a process that led to the production of The Valencia Report, which focuses on key issues, considerations and recommendations relevant to the work of the World Assembly. The report, submitted to the World Assembly, provides perspectives, reflections and advice for the global scientific, educator and practitioner gerontological community. Elder abuse, neglect and violence are addressed. The Valencia Report can be found at www.valenciaforum.com/vfr.html.

Immediately following the Valencia Forum, the World NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) Forum on Ageing, met to influence the World Assembly's agenda and share ideas about advocacy and programming. Representatives from six hundred NGOs worked together to produce the "Final Declaration and Recommendations of the World NGO Forum on Ageing: Development and Rights of the Elderly," which addressed abuse, violence and ill-treatment at the local, national and international levels (www.conferenceofngos.org).

NCPEA and INPEA were well represented at all three events. NCPEA Board member and INPEA North American Regional Representative Susan Aziz made a presentation, "Elder Abuse: A North American Reptrospective 1982-2002," at the Valencia Forum during which she described NCPEA and its participation in the National Center on Elder Abuse. The session was part of a workshop entitled "Elder Abuse: A Global Retrospective 1982-2002," which included other INPEA and NCPEA members and board members including Laura Machado, Lia Daichman, Gerry Bennett, Elizabeth Podnieks, Bridget Penhale. Several of the same individuals participated an INPEA Round Table, "Elder Abuse: A Universal Paradigm" at the NGO Forum. The "standing room only" crowds for elder abuse sessions at the WHO and Valencia attest to the rising tide of worldwide interest in elder abuse. And I participated as an NGO observer at the United Nations Second World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain, April 8-12, 2002.

As part of a global strategy for the prevention of elder abuse being carried out by the World Health Organization in collaboration with INPEA, Susan Aziz will be taking the lead in enhancing a curriculum for training primary health care workers, which will be piloted in several developing countries. She will be inviting NCPEA members to review the curriculum and provide input and materials.

Other International Elder Abuse Resources:

UN Secretary General's report on elder abuse
www.un.org/ageing/ecn52002pc2eng.pdf

HelpAge International's State of the World's Older People 2002
www.helpage.org/dev/images/pdfs/SOTWOPeng.pdf

International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse: Dedicated to the global dissemination of information as part of its commitment to the world-wide prevention of the abuse of older people
http://www.inpea.net/