UNGA81 Third Committee Interactive Dialogue on discrimination and violence against women and girls
Statement delivered by Mr. Olegs Ilgis, Deputy Permanent Representative of Latvia
on behalf of the Nordic Baltic countries:
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden
New York, 8 October 2026
Chair,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
We thank UN-Women, the Committee, the Working group, and the Special Rapporteur for their important work to promote and defend the rights of women and girls, in all their diversity, throughout your respective mandates.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her report on violence against older women, and for bringing greater attention to an issue that has too often remained invisible in discussions on violence against women and girls.
Madam Special Rapporteur,
Could you elaborate on which measures you consider most effective in improving the identification, reporting and prevention of violence against older women, in all their diversity, while ensuring that their autonomy and dignity are fully respected, particularly women in need of care at home or in institutional settings where factors such as dependence on care providers, communication barriers and the intersection of age and disability often exacerbate the risk of abuse and limit autonomy.
Older women in all their diversity have the same right as women of all ages to live free from violence, abuse, exploitation and discrimination. Yet age, cognitive or physical impairment and gender can intersect and create particular vulnerabilities. Violence may occur in intimate and family relationships, in care settings and institutions, and through economic, sexual, psychological and other forms of abuse. At the same time, older women may face barriers to reporting violence and accessing justice and support. Recent conflicts around the world have also demonstrated that older women may face a heightened risk of death and serious harm due to limited mobility, isolation, and barriers in accessing evacuation, assistance and healthcare.
We are particularly concerned about gaps in comprehensive, age-disaggregated data. What is not adequately measured and analysed risks remaining insufficiently addressed. We therefore encourage States to strengthen data collection monitoring and research on violence against older women, while ensuring privacy, dignity and the protection of personal data.
Prevention must remain at the centre of our efforts. This includes addressing gender inequality and ageism, strengthening awareness among professionals working in health and social care as well as in police authorities, and ensuring that older women are actively and meaningfully included in the development of policies and services that affect them.
Equally important is access to effective protection, justice and survivor-centred support. All older women who experience violence should have access to appropriate health, psychosocial, social and legal services, including the provision of adapted support and accessible mechanisms for reporting and seeking redress.
We also underline the importance of ensuring that policies addressing violence against women recognise the diversity of older women’s experiences, including the additional barriers faced by women with disabilities, women living in poverty, migrant women and women experiencing other multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
The Nordic-Baltic countries remain firmly committed to preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls throughout their lives. We welcome continued international attention to violence against older women in all their diversity and encourage States to translate the recommendations of the report into concrete measures at national, regional and international levels.
Thank you.