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The Right to Economic Security and Social Protection

Older women in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of poverty, especially those living alone and those caring for grandchildren orphaned by the AIDS pandemic. Older women are often denied their right to decent work, and to property and inheritances that rightfully belong to them. Very few have access to pensions and other social protection measures such as credit programs and affordable healthcare. GRAN is committed to promoting economic security and social protection for grandmothers and older women.


GRAN Campaigns related to the Right to Economic Security and Social Protection:

The Right to Food

A Fundamental Human Right

GRAN recognizes access to adequate food as an inherent human right. The right to food is not about charity, but about ensuring that all people have the capacity to feed themselves in dignity. For this right to be fully realized, food must be available, accessible, adequate, and sustainable.1

Climate Justice and sub-Saharan Africa

The climate emergency disproportionately affects the disempowered and most marginalized across the world – the poor, the old, the very young, and women in particular. Protecting the vulnerable is a matter of justice.

Climate justice is a human-centred approach to responding to the challenges of climate change that embraces human rights, equity, and fairness.

Mining Justice

GRAN's Mining Justice campaign is undertaken in support of women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa experiencing human rights abuses in mining communities.   

Widespread well-documented human rights abuses have been associated with the activities of many Canadian mining companies abroad. These companies must be held accountable for their actions in the communities in which they operate.

Not surprisingly, women are disproportionately affected by human rights abuses in mining communities, including:

Older Women Prevail in Landmark Climate Case

Apr 10, 2024

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Tuesday in favour of a group of more than 2000 older women from Switzerland who had argued that their government's inadequate efforts to combat... Read more