CSA to participate in UNHCR annual consultation on "Women's Leadership & Participation"
UNHCR is organizing its annual consultations with NGOs in Geneva from 17 to 19 June, 2014. More than 240 national and international NGOs will be represented by over 460 participants. The theme of the consultations this year is “Women’s Leadership & Participation” ; participants will discuss challenges and needed improvements to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women in the context of the humanitarian response.
Ms. Martine Najem will represent CSA at the conference. She will be serving as panelist on a side event entitled: “Protection services for all: integrating and empowering the diversity of refugee populations in sexual and gender-based violence programming”. In her talk, Ms. Najem will present concerns related to on older refugees with a focus on needs of older women, drawing on the experience of the 2006 war on Lebanon and the recommendations of the 2013 CSA symposium on older people in emergencies within the context of the Syrian refugee’s crisis. In line with this year’s meeting theme, Ms. Najem will highlight pertinent issues in relation to including older people in SGBV programming. The p
owerpoint can be found here.
HelpAge International: Sharing and Learning, Amman, Jordan
On May 14, 2014, CSA members Nabil Kronfol and Martine Najem were invited to attend and participate in HelpAge International's Sharing and Learning event in Amman, Jordan. The CSA presentation can be accessed here.
CSA Symposium: “Older Persons in Emergencies: Challenges, Opportunities and Recommendations for Relief Workers”
The CSA held on December 12th 2013 a symposium entitled “Older Persons in Emergencies: Challenges, Opportunities and Recommendations for Relief Workers” in Beirut, Lebanon. The symposium was attended by various stakeholders, mostly NGO representatives, nurses and relief workers and aimed to draw the attention of relief actors to older refugees, as both assets in emergency situations and a vulnerable group requiring specific care and attention. Hosted with support from the UNFPA and the WHO, and under the patronage of the Ministry of Public Health, the symposium included two presentations from HelpAge International and Handicap International that highlighted recent findings pertinent to the situation of the older Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The symposium included as well a panel discussion with representatives from UNHCR, CARITAS, AMEL and IMC . An action brief and a policy brief prepared by CSA that highlight challenges in the field as well as opportunities for engaging seniors as active contributors in their own communities and in humanitarian relief and management were distributed. The symposium promoted a space for proactive discussion on the role of relief agencies catering to the needs of seniors as well as discuss strategies for an action plan to meet these challenges.
Further Links:
Presentations by HelpAge International and Handicap International
Distrbuted Material
New Coverage
Expert Group Committee Meeting
Expert Group Meeting July 5-6 2012: ICPD and MIPAA Mapping of Policies and Programs on Aging in Arab World
The CSA in Lebanon and UNFPA organized in July 5 and 6 in 2012 an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) entitled “ICPD and MIPAA Mapping of Policies and Programs on Aging in Arab World.” The meeting took place at the American University of Beirut and was attended by experts on aging from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisiae. The EGC meeting finalized the Mapping Questionnaire using their experience to personalize it for the Arab world.
Global Conference
The International Federation on Ageing is holding its 11th Global Conference on Ageing entitled “Ageing Connects” from May 28th till June 1st 2012, in Prague, Czech Republic.
The conference provides the opportunity to discuss the needs of older adults in a multidisciplinary perspective. It is a unique occasion to share information and evaluate new research, policies and programs. The conference will also shed the light on the importance of protecting older adults’ rights as a specific form of human rights, and on the significance of their social and economic roles in society. Furthermore, “Ageing Connects” will allow developing strong alliances and shaping future policies related to older adults.
The Lebanese Epidemiological Association 16th Annual Meeting.
The Lebanese Epidemiological Association (LEA), in collaboration with the Center for Studies on Aging (CSA) in Lebanon, held its 16th annual scientific meeting entitled “The Elderly in Lebanon: Expanding the Research Agenda to Meet Current and Future Challenges”. The meeting took place on November 25-26, 2011 at Gefinor Rotana Hotel in Beirut and was attended by over 60 participants from Lebanon, the region and the world. Key speakers comprised experts in the various fields of demography, population studies, public health, gerontology, economy, social policy, epidemiology, health care, nutrition and mental health.
The meeting was officially opened on November 25th by the president of the LEA, Dr. Mary Deeb, followed by a speech by the president of the CSA, Dr. Abla Sibai. Welcome address was also delivered by representatives of the Minister of Public Health, Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Social Affairs, World Health Organization and UNFPA, and a keynote address was presented by Dr Youssef Corbage.
On November 26th, emerging aging-related issues and concerns were addressed through three thematic sessions. The first session shed light on issues of demographic transition and economic prospects of pension plans and healthcare of older adults in the Middle East, the second addressed non-communicable diseases among older adults with a specific focus on osteoporosis and mental health, and the third included presentations of epidemiological surveys among older population in Lebanon.
2010
Workshop October 20-21 2010: Linking Research to Policy in the Middle East Region: Family Ties and Aging.
The workshop, Linking Research to Policy in the Middle East Region: Family Ties and Aging, was held at the American University of Beirut, October 20-21, 2010 and was funded by the Doha International Institute of Family Studies and Development. The key organizing entities included Eastern Michigan University, American University of Beirut, and University of Michigan, in collaboration with the Center for Studies on Aging and the Lebanese Health Care Management Association. The meeting was attended by around 60 participants and was officially opened by the Minister of Social Affairs in Lebanon, Dr Selim El Sayegh, and the Minister of Public Health, Dr Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh. The purpose of the meeting was to gather an international and multidisciplinary team of researchers and policy makers to critically review the existing state of knowledge concerning families and aging in the Middle East region. During the meeting, the CSA, under the leadership of Dr. Nabil Kronfol, held two roundtable debates among policy makers, service providers and researchers, one on ‘Late life issues” and another on “Age-friendly Cities”. The goal of the debates was to identify challenges, under-pinning issues and best practices and to facilitate links and dialogue between researchers and policy makers in these two areas.
2009
Expert Group Meeting November 18-19 2009: Aging in the Arab Countries: Research, Policy and Development- Expert Group Meeting
The CSA in Lebanon and UNFPA organized in November 18 and 19, 2009 an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) entitled “Aging in the Arab Countries: Research, Policy and Development.” The meeting took place at the Gefinor Rotana Hotel in Beirut and was attended by more than 125 participants from Lebanon, the region and worldwide. It conveyed a wide range of experts, including scholars, practitioners, service providers, civil society representatives and policy makers across the field of public health, demography, epidemiology, population studies, gerontology and social policy, many of whom are advocates for the older people, promoting the cause of the aged and moving it forward both in their respective countries and internationally. The meeting was also attended by 12 UNFPA participants from the Arab States. The meeting was officially opened by the Minister of Social Affairs in Lebanon, Dr Selim El Sayegh, and the Minister of Public Health, Dr Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh with messages from Dr Alexandre Kalache, Dr Abla Sibai and Dr Hafedh Chekir. The voice of the seniors, as the ‘Preservers of Traditions’ was listened to through the address of Mrs Emily Nasrallah, a renowned Lebanese writer and novelist. Over the two-day period, the EGM held seven sessions with six panel discussions organized thematically to reflect the core objectives of the CSA and UNFPA within the overarching framework of promoting, expanding and accelerating the welfare of older adults in the region.
Conference Program
Conference Proceedings
Speech of Mrs Emily Nasrallah
2008
The Center for Studies on Aging was duly registered in Lebanon in October 2008 (no. 1273)
The Center was duly registered in Lebanon as a non-governmental organization in October 2008. It is led by a group of
professionals committed to the promotion of evidence-based policy and practice in support of the older population. The mission of the CSA is to create a hub for research, education, policy formulation, and training on aging in Lebanon and the Arab region. Its motto is 'Translating Research into Policy and Practice' (TRIPP).
2007
Conference September 3-4 2007: Aging in Lebanon: Research and Policies
The conference, Aging in Lebanon: Research and Policies, was organized by Lebanese HealthCare management Association in collaboration with the Lebanese Epidemiologic Association and support from Help-the-Aged UK, September 3-4, 2007 in Bristol Hotel, Lebanon. Over 150 participants attended the one and half day conference. It was officially opened by the Minister of Public Health in Lebanon, Dr Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh with messages from Help-the-Aged UK, HelpAge International, the WHO and UNFPA. Mrs Emily Nasrallah, a well known writer in Lebanon, presented an inspiring speech on the theme. The topics covered were quite diverse and were presented and discussed by experienced and well known national and international speakers. As this was the first organized conference on aging in Lebanon, the response from academicians, national and international NGOs and service providers was unexpected. The conference culminated in the recommendation for the establishment of the Center for Studies on Aging in Lebanon.
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