CULTURE

How the Global Initiative on Ageing & Longevity is Shaping The Future For All Of Us

As the global population ages at an unprecedented rate, the need for comprehensive, inclusive strategies to address the challenges of longevity has never been more urgent. Silvia Neira, Vice President of the Global Initiative on Ageing & Longevity (previously, Global Initiative on Ageing), discusses the organisation's mission to reframe the narrative around ageing, advocating for systemic change in policy, healthcare, and social attitudes toward older adults.

Founded in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, GIA works across sectors—from government and healthcare to business and media—to promote an environment where ageing is celebrated as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Here, Neira shares her insights on how the foundation is leading the charge to reduce ageism, advocate for policy change, and implement innovative solutions that support both younger and older generations.
A GIA Longevity panel at the 3rd International Congress of Ageing & Dependency in Málaga, 2023. Image credit: GIA Longevity
Silvia Neira and the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres. Image credit: GIA Longevity

"We believe that to be able to have systemic change in current ageist attitudes it requires everyone - regardless of age - to value the whole process of ageing. For this, we believe the media is at the core of it all. We need more positive news about how seniors want to be - and can be - productive and valuable members of our society if we let them and build intergenerational bridges."

Silvia Neira

What inspired the creation of the Global Initiative on Ageing and Longevity, and what specific gaps in global ageing policy does the organisation aim to fill?
GIA Longevity was created by a group of UN leaders, government officials and the private sector to support the entire ecosystem of ageing and longevity in the wake of Covid which highlighted immense failures in our systems. From policy changes (via the support for an International UN Convention for the human rights of older persons) all the way to impact and action driven measures within the economy, social and healthcare sectors, GIA Longevity’s mission is to change the current narrative on ageing and longevity.

You are on an on-going global mission to reduce ageism. How can we better use creative industries to address ageism and create a culture where ageing is seen as an opportunity rather than a challenge?

We believe that to be able to have systemic change in current ageist attitudes it requires everyone - regardless of age - to value the whole process of ageing. For this, we believe the media is at the core of it all. We need more positive news about how seniors want to be - and can be - productive and valuable members of our society if we let them and build intergenerational bridges.

And to appreciate the virtues of having experience and embracing ageing itself. Even our appearance, and viewing wrinkles as the beautiful marks from a life that is being lived, with all its beauty! We believe all sectors have a role to play to create change, from the fashion industry all the way to banking. Only when we all move together, the currently accepted ageism will be able to change forever into a more inclusive, positive, and productive narrative.

"Supporting the brain health of the population. There is compelling research that shows how implementing basic preventative measures would see 40% fewer people developing dementia, but no one seems to be interested in adopting these measures locally! "

Silvia Neira

How do you work with governments and policymakers to influence policies around ageism, healthcare, and retirement?
This is not an easy task! As the required changes are so vast and in so many sectors, we believe we need to implement an abiding body such as the International UN Convention for the Human Rights of Older Persons. If governments support this convention, some flexible general rules would be integrated at state level to ensure that ageism is reduced or simply not tolerated within society; that preventative health measures are accepted for the population, no matter your region; and greater options to retirement would be put in place. Additionally, we collaborate with institutions around the world to help design the policy changes governments require for the demographics shifts taking place in their countries. We believe it’s essential for the private sector to become advocates of these required changes, as it’s these actions that will advance policy changes within governments.

GIA Longevity, a global initiative on ageing founded by a group of UN leaders, government officials and private sector leaders, is the first cross-sectoral partnership to address the ageing and longevity ecosystem. Image credit: GIA Longevity
The announcement of a new collaboration between GIA Longevity and Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul, focusing on multilateral affairs, public policy, training and promotion & action within the context of ageing and longevity. Image credit: GIA Longevity
As the global population ages, what are some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities you see to adapt to the needs of older adults?
The main challenges and opportunities we currently see as urgent are:

1. Supporting the brain health of the population. There is compelling research that shows how implementing basic preventative measures would see 40% fewer people developing dementia, but no one seems to be interested in adopting these measures locally! Therefore, GIA Longevity is actively advancing these projects to ensure more people have access to the resources they need to maintain their health.
Additionally, we believe brain health is equally important for the youth, who also need support and guidance in learning how to prevent developing mental health issues. Ultimately, they are our future leaders and we need to take care of our younger generations to ensure they also age well with the required support to adapt to life’s unexpected changes.

2. Labour inclusion. As there are now more people aged over 60 than under 5 years old, the world needs to urgently adapt to what this means. We don’t have enough workforce globally and we lack professionals with sufficient experience. The solution is to allow and encourage those older adults that wish to continue work to do so, providing them with the opportunity to work as many hours as they feel capable and willing to. This would positively impact many areas - from countries’ GDP to their general sense of purpose and ability to be relevant and included within society. Basically, the benefits would spill over into the economy, social and healthcare. GIA Longevity is actively working with an innovative platform to allow flexible working hours to those that are currently not working. We need to implement projects like these in more countries to allow for greater impact globally.

3. Financial wellness. A lot of work is required here, and unfortunately financial education is limited to much of the population. The financial system needs a significant update to be more inclusive of older generations that wish to be entrepreneurs, specifically women, together with adapting their financial products to the new reality of ageing populations. Furthermore, digital inclusion and fraud prevention are vital. GIA Longevity is heavily focused on innovation for these issues via capacity building, reskilling and up-skilling.
Silvia C. Neira is the Vice President of the Global Initiative on Ageing & Longevity (GIA Longevity), where she leads efforts to reframe the narrative around ageing and advocate for systemic policy changes. With a background in global health and policy, she is dedicated to tackling ageism, improving healthcare, and promoting intergenerational collaboration. Silvia is a passionate advocate for the rights and inclusion of older adults, working across sectors to create innovative, sustainable solutions for a more age-friendly world.

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