Statement: International Day of Older Persons – 1st October 2024

On the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October 2024, the European Federation of Retired and Elderly People (FERPA) recalls and underlines the role and place of retired people in Europe and the need to ensure them a decent standard of living and to protect the freedom to retire in dignity.

Pensioners and elderly people are still excluded from decision-making processes that affect their living conditions and social rights. Their proper consultation, as recommended by the UN and the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), is still far from guaranteed.

It is essential that institutions undertake to combat all stereotypes that lead to ageism, to recognise and value the wealth and experience of pensioners and older people, and to ensure their involvement in participatory democracy.

All FERPA organisations are taking the opportunity of 1 October to mobilise in order to make their voices and those of older people heard.

They also intend to reiterate their priority demands:

- automatic indexation of all pensions to wages and/or prices

- the introduction of a minimum pension, higher than the poverty line, and equality between men and women in terms of pensions

- the right to high-quality, long-term health care for all

- the right to quality housing that takes account of the needs of the elderly

- The right to access to energy and essential services

FERPA supports the initiatives taken by its affiliated organisations on this occasion and afterwards