A/81/133 B. Ageism and sexism 11. Social perception of older women as burdensome or “unproductive” deprioritizes them in policy and service provision, normalizes neglect and reinforces their exclusion from decision-making and participation. 21 The status traditionally accorded to older persons as custodians of experience and collective memory has weakened in many contemporary societies. Patriarchal social norms further devalue women no longer seen as “reproductively viable.” 22 Women might even reject being perceived as old, as a reaction to negative stereotyping and its consequences. 23 By contrast, older men are often regarded as being “wise” or “powerful”. 12. The topic of sexual violence against older women continues to be largely taboo, including because of persistent stereotypes that it affects only younger women, 24 with older women, especially those with disabilities, perceived as “sexless”. 25 As old age is often viewed as “innocent”, it can make it harder to recognize that an older man can still engage in intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women and girls, including older women. 26 13. Campaigns against domestic abuse often exclude older women, 27 accompanied by a lack of political urgency to address violence against them. 28 The intersection of ageism and sexism also creates barriers to employment, particularly in professions that prioritize physical “attractiveness” and youth. 29 C. Invisibility in data 14. Most demographic health surveys, later used to inform development programmes and investment priorities, collect data only from women of reproductive age (15 –49). 30 Similarly, in a global prevalence review by the World Health Organization identifying 392 studies on sexual violence, only 66 studies (17%) included any data on women aged 50 years or older, despite their being at the greatest risk of violence. 31 There are no data available from any country on the relationship between domestic abuse and older women’s requests for assisted dying. 32 15. Many surveys impose an upper age limit of 75, implicitly assuming that women beyond that age have cognitive impairments and therefore cannot reliably participate, while at the same time not providing them with accommodations enabling participation. 33 Assessments are often conducted when caregivers are present, discouraging open communication and making data unreliable. 34 Some, especially those born in rural communities, might be unable to indicate the date of birth required in surveys, reinforcing their exclusion. __________________ 21 Submission by the European Network of Migrant Women. Submission by the School of Social Science. 23 Expert consultations. 24 Submission by Paula, eV – Beratungsstelle für Frauen ab 60 Jahren. 25 Submission by the Association of People with Disability. 26 Submission by the Swedish Women Lobby. 27 Submission by Fondacija Lara. 28 Submission by Relationships Australia. 29 Submission by Pour les droits des femmes du Québec. 30 See https://dhsprogram.com/methodology/Survey-Types/DHS-Questionnaires.cfm. 31 See https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41110454/. 32 See https://static1.squarespace.com/static/627be27aeebc7620ee956da1/t/ 6742f6bae4bdc83efee3f5b6/1732441788287/Safeguarding+women+in+AD+The+OH.pdf . 33 Submission by AGE Platform Europe. 34 Submission by the National Council of Women of New Zealand. 22 26-09992 5/26