New publications from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlight the urgent need to address violence against older women and women with disabilities, groups often overlooked in global violence-related data. Despite facing heightened risks of abuse, these women remain underrepresented in research efforts, hindering the development of tailored interventions and support services.

Studies show that intimate partner and sexual violence disproportionately affect women with disabilities, with rates often higher than those among women without disabilities. Additionally, older women experience various forms of abuse, including psychological violence and financial exploitation. However, their experiences are often invisible due to factors such as isolation and stigma.

Dr. Lynnmarie Sardinha of WHO emphasizes the importance of understanding the diverse experiences of women and girls to effectively combat violence in all its forms. Dr. Avni Amin underscores the need for responsive services that address the unique vulnerabilities of older women and women with disabilities.

To bridge evidence gaps, WHO recommends extending survey participation age limits and incorporating questions on different types of violence and disabilities. The agency emphasizes the importance of engaging older women, women with disabilities, and their representative organizations in survey design and implementation.

The publications, "Measuring violence against older women” and “Measuring violence against women with disability,” are part of the UN Women-WHO Joint Programme on Violence against Women Data and provide essential guidance for researchers, statistics offices, and social welfare services. WHO has also developed a survey module to support data collection on violence against older women, with resources for measuring disability to be released later in the year.