Tracey Crouch is world's first ever loneliness minister. Appointed by British PM Theresa May, Crouch will hold the portfolio as per recommendations of a report on the subject by the Jo Cox Commission.
A wide set of responisibilites like creatin and implementing policies, strategies on the issue of loneliness, asses statistics and evidence along with funding community groups to connect people will be on Crouch's agenda.
The Cox commission's report was set up in honour of the Labour MP, Jo Cox who was murdered by a rightwing extremist in 2016, who had campaigned about loneliness
“Young or old, loneliness doesn’t discriminate, ” Jo Cox had said. More than 9 million people in Britian feel lonely according to the British Red Cross and among them about 200,000 elderly have not had a friend, relative or a conversation in more than a month.
“I want to confront this challenge for our society and for all of us to take action to address the loneliness endured by the elderly, by carers, by those who have lost loved ones – people who have no one to talk to or share their thoughts and experiences with,” May said.
