PESHAWAR, Sep 23 (APP):A district-level Older People Forum has been established in Peshawar, creating a platform for older women and men to raise concerns, influence decisions and advocate for more responsive policies and services, with a strong focus on strengthening the leadership and participation of older women. Facilitated by 'Blue Veins', the Forum brings together older women and men from diverse backgrounds, including people from minority communities and persons with …
Older people forum launched in Peshawar to amplify Older Women’s voices, advance aging rights
PESHAWAR, Sep 23 (APP):A district-level Older People Forum has been established in Peshawar, creating a platform for older women and men to raise concerns, influence decisions and advocate for more responsive policies and services, with a strong focus on strengthening the leadership and participation of older women.
Facilitated by ‘Blue Veins’, the Forum brings together older women and men from diverse backgrounds, including people from minority communities and persons with disabilities, alongside civil society and community representatives.
The initiative seeks to ensure that those experiencing multiple and intersecting forms of exclusion have a meaningful role in identifying priorities and shaping advocacy on ageing.
The Forum will focus on issues affecting people as they age, including access to social protection, health and social services, information, institutional support and opportunities to participate in public decision-making.
Particular attention will be given to the experiences of older women, who can face compounded inequalities linked to gender, age, disability, economic insecurity and social exclusion.
Shoaib Khan, District Officer, Social Welfare Department Peshawar, and Khan Saib, the Department’s focal person for senior citizens, reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to supporting older people and strengthening coordination with organizations working on ageing and inclusion.
“QCAThe Social Welfare Department remains committed to advancing the rights and well-being of senior citizens and improving their access to information, services and institutional support.
Collaboration with civil society, development partners and donors is important in strengthening sustainable responses to the needs of an ageing population, particularly older women and those facing greater social and economic vulnerabilities,” they said.
Shahzado Khaskheli of the Foundation for Ageing and Inclusive Development (FAID) said population ageing needs greater recognition within development planning and public policy.
“Ageing is not simply a welfare issue; it is a question of rights, dignity and inclusion.
As more people live into older age, our policies, institutions and communities must be prepared to respond to their changing realities.
Older people must have platforms through which they can speak for themselves and participate in decisions that directly affect their lives,” Khaskheli said.
Sana Khan, Project Officer at Blue Veins, said the Forum would particularly seek to strengthen older women’s agency and visibility in community and policy spaces.
“Older women carry a lifetime of knowledge, experience and contribution, yet their voices are too often missing from decisions that affect them. We need to move beyond seeing older women merely as recipients of support and recognize them as rights-holders, leaders and advocates. This Forum provides a space for them to organize, identify shared priorities and engage directly with institutions responsible for protecting their rights,” she said.
Participants discussed the need for stronger mechanisms through which older people can communicate their concerns to government departments and service providers.
They also highlighted the importance of accessible information, inclusive services, stronger social protection and greater recognition of the specific barriers experienced by older women, persons with disabilities and people from minority communities.
The Older People Forum is expected to serve as a continuing platform for dialogue, collective advocacy and engagement with government institutions and other stakeholders, helping bring the lived experiences of older people into discussions on policies, programmes and services in Peshawar.
