After twenty years of commemoration, raising awareness is no longer the primary challenge. The call is to build the institutions, policies, and support systems needed to protect older persons and prevent abuse before it occurs, as underscored at an event held in the framework of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2026 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Abuse, mistreatment, discrimination, and social isolation continue to affect millions of older persons worldwide. Although these situations often remain hidden, their consequences are profound, affecting health, well-being, autonomy, and social participation. Preventing abuse therefore requires more than acknowledging the existence of the problem. What is needed is action grounded in regulations, public policies, and institutions capable of reducing vulnerabilities, strengthening autonomy, and guaranteeing the rights of older persons across all stages of life. This means creating environments in which older persons can live with dignity and security and participate fully and meaningfully in society.

Latin America and the Caribbean is undergoing a rapid demographic transition. By mid-century, persons aged 60 and over are expected to represent one quarter of the region's total population. Against this backdrop, countries have made progress in enacting laws, regulations, and policies aimed at eradicating abuse in old age.

At the regional level, governments gathered at the Fifth Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing and the Rights of Older Persons in Latin America and the Caribbean, held at ECLAC headquarters in 2022, adopted the Santiago Declaration, which calls for redoubled efforts to combat discrimination, mistreatment, isolation, abandonment, and all forms of violence affecting older persons. As countries in the region continue to adapt to demographic change, translating these commitments into effective policies and services that reinforce prevention and protect the rights, dignity, and autonomy of older persons remains essential to building more inclusive and equitable societies.

It is likewise essential to recognize that older persons have full rights and are active participants in society, ensuring their full participation in all spheres of social life and making their contributions visible through relevant statistical information to guide specific policies.