The webinar Loneliness: a global phenomenon. Perspectives and international approachesEste enlace abre en pestaña nueva promoted by the State Observatory of Loneliness of the ONCE Foundation took place on June 29th. This seminar arose out of the search for a common pooling of the proposals that are being made at a global level on loneliness and was attended by leading figures in this field at an international level.

Loneliness in the European Union 

With the help of the socioeconomic analysts Caterina Mauri and Elisabeth Casabianca, the JRC presented the results of the pilot project on loneliness in the European Union. For the realization of this study, a macro survey was carried out in the European Union in order to collect data. The survey also offers an opportunity to collect ideas for solutions to design interventions on loneliness, generating with this information a search tool on all measures being taken in the European Union.este enlace abre en pestaña nueva

International perspectives on loneliness

United Kingdom

Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, Minister for Loneliness UK, presented the activity carried out by his ministry. In 2018 it arises with the promotion of the first national strategy to fight loneliness in UK, accompanied by intersectoral commission that united various spaces ranging from inter-ministerial groups to count on sectors of civil society.
This ministry set three strategic objectives: to reduce stigma, to increase data on loneliness by creating standardized measures and to generate public policies.

US Surgeon General

Atul Nakhasi, Director of Science and Policy, Office of the Surgeon General of the United States, presented the current trends in social isolation in the US, highlighting that the pandemic has accelerated trends that had already been occurring in recent decades. In the light of these data, a guide of recommendations has been drawn up to frame the national strategy against loneliness in the United States.

Japan

Takeshi Sakakibara, Deputy Director General of the Loneliness and Isolation Policy Office of the Government of Japan explained how, in view of the worrying increase in loneliness in Japanese society, especially since the COVID pandemic in 2021, this office with a ministerial function was created.

OEI

María del Carmen Peral, Directorate of Education and Vocational Training of the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) explained that the main approach taken is educational, targeting especially the elderly through the promotion of digital systems and social relations that generate higher levels of well-being.

Round table

The seminar closed with a round table discussion in which various measures being undertaken from the UK, the US Surgeon General and the EOI were shared.
A wide range of measures were provided to answer the question of whether effective policies can be achieved if we do not take a global approach. If you want to know more about the international approach to loneliness here you can access the full seminareste enlace abre en pestaña nueva.