Direct Link to Full 5-Page October 2019 WIEGO Document:
WIEGO – Women in Informal Employment Globalizing & Organizing
Today, 703 million people in the world are aged 65 or older. By 2050 – or just 31 years from now, that number is projected to increase to a staggering 1.5 billion, according to the World Population Ageing 2019 Highlights recently released by UN DESA’s Population Division.
The report predicts that by the mid-point of this century, one in every six people in the world will be over the age 65, up from one in every 11 today. The number of people aged 80 or over is expected to grow even faster, tripling by 2050. Average global life expectancy at age 65 will have increased by 19 years by 2050.
All societies in the world are in the midst of this longevity revolution – some are at its earlier stages and some are more advanced. But all will pass through this extraordinary transition, in which the chance of surviving to age 65 rises from less than 50 per cent – as was the case in Sweden in the 1890s – to more than 90 per cent at present in countries with the highest life expectancy. The proportion of adult life spent beyond the age of 65 increased from less than a fifth in the 1960s to a quarter or more in most developed countries today.
Direct link to Full Statement:
https://www.ifj.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ENG_Final_UNCSW64Global_Union_Statement_.pdf
Direct Link to Full 55-Page 2019 Report:
https://womendeliver.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Women-Deliver-Population-Council-Report.pdf
Women face unique issues when it comes to substance use, in part influenced by:
- *Sex—differences based on biology
- *Gender—differences based on culturally defined roles for men and women
Scientists who study substance use have discovered that women who use drugs can have issues related to hormones, menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause. In addition, women themselves describe unique reasons for using drugs, including controlling weight, fighting exhaustion, coping with pain, and attempts to self-treat mental health problems.
19.5 million females (or 15.4 percent) ages 18 or older have used illicit* drugs in the past year.1 *The term "illicit" refers to the use of illegal drugs, including marijuana according to federal law, and misuse of prescription medications.
8.4 million females (or 6.6 percent) ages 18 and older have misused prescription drugs in the past year.1
The number of women with opioid use disorder at labor and delivery quadrupled from 1999-2014.3
Sex and Gender Differences in Substance Use Disorder Treatment
If a pregnant woman attempts to suddenly stop using drugs and alcohol without medical help, she can put her fetus at risk.
