1.2 Violence against older women

Many prevalence studies or survey instruments have previously left out women over 50 years old. This results in a big gap of knowledge and understanding on forms, types, perpetrators, frequencies, causes, and consequences of violence against older women. To contribute to filling this knowledge gap, the Joint Programme is being instrumental in revising and suggesting methodologies to capture older women’s experience of violence. In 2019, the WHO finalized a quantitative and qualitative systematic review of prevalence studies, measures/survey instruments on IPV over 50. An Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on measurement of violence against older women was held, bringing together prominent experts to identify and propose a core set of questions for women over 50 to be added to existing VAW surveys or modules within surveys. Based on the recommendations of this EGM, this proposed minimum set of questions will be reviewed with experts and finalized in 2020.