by
Diane Loughran
After a century of sustained demographic
change, older persons around the world are achieving a critical
mass. At the dawn of the 21st century, there were approximately
600 million older persons globally, a number that tripled during
the previous fifty years. By the middle of this century, there
will be some 2,000 million persons 60 and older – once
again a tripling in a span of 50 years.
This rapid growth of the world’s older population –
which at 2 % annually is already considerably faster than population
growth as a whole – will reach 2.8 % annually in about
25 years1  .
Such rapid and ubiquitous growth will require – in most
countries – adjustments on a broad economic and social
scale.
The global ageing of the population is transforming the way
people relate to their family, their community, the state and
its institutions. The seismic shift in the demographic structure
is redefining perspectives on ageing and its relationship to
development. Longer lives are expanding existing notions of
roles and limits – in care, gender, employment, human rights,
and social protection, to name but a few.
The international community is experiencing a wake up call:
the unmistakable realisation of the need for a broad and informed
response at all levels. The general mindset is just beginning
to move beyond merely thinking in terms of “age” –
young or old – to a wider, lifelong and more inclusive
mindset. Deep-rooted impressions about the limited potential
of an ageing society are being challenged.
Twenty Years of Change
As the world’s population has aged since the 1982 World
Assembly on Ageing in Vienna, Austria, we have witnessed far-reaching
changes in the global economic, social, and cultural landscape.
These changes are altering the criteria for participation in
all aspects of society.
Intergenerational relationships are undergoing change as fertility
rates decline and the effects of urbanization and migration
take hold. The consequences are yet unknown, but it is evident
that with each generation, the number of close relatives in
more families will decline, just as numbers of the very old
will rise dramatically.
In developing countries and countries with economies in transition,
persistent challenges are faced due to decades of poverty which
have weakened support mechanisms and in which pensions and social
protection schemes for older persons are severely limited. Consequently,
remittances from children abroad are often a vital lifeline
for older persons. Older women are particularly affected as
they carry the main responsibility for care in the family, yet
they are often overlooked as an important source of expertise.
Furthermore, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has forced many older women,
particularly in Africa, to take on the added physical and financial
burden of caring for children with AIDS, as well as children
orphaned by AIDS.
Civil society has grown and is increasingly being relied upon
to implement programmes at the local level, although the role
of Governments in providing basic services cannot be denied.
Both the public and private sectors have taken initiative in
many areas. One example is through the promotion of accessible
environments for ageing and disabled communities. In many developing
countries there is an added and often urgent dimension to “access”,
referring to adequate shelter, nutrition, clean water and personal
safety.
Population ageing, because of its demographic, social and economic
impact, has enough force behind it to shape the future as that
of globalisation and presents a profound challenge, but also
an unprecedented opportunity.
Second World Assembly on Ageing
These issues and more will be taken up in April 2002, at the
Second World Assembly on Ageing in Madrid, hosted by the Government
of Spain. The most important outcome of the Assembly will be
to adopt a revised International Plan of Action on Ageing. Governments,
United Nations organisations, civil society, including non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), the private sector and individuals will
converge at the Assembly to urge all nations to address an array
of issues, including:
- the
development of action-oriented measures to respond to the
challenges of the ageing process;
- the
relationship between ageing and development, particularly
in developing countries;
- the
formation of public and private partnerships, including non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), for building societies for all ages;
- the
development of measures to strengthen solidarity between generations;
and
- how
to mainstream ageing into current global development
agendas.
Parallel
and other events associated with the Assembly will be held,
including high-level roundtable discussions, an NGO forum, and
a professionals’ forum in Valencia, Spain.
The roundtable discussions, organised by the Government of Spain,
will promote dialogue between governments, UN agencies and civil
society and will draw on the expertise of specialists, eminent
persons and major groups.
The NGO forum will provide an opportunity to strengthen the
voice of older persons through discussion from a civil society
perspective. It will feature a host of events aimed at advocating
and raising awareness on key issues, including the implementation
and follow-up of the revised Plan of Action.
The Valencia Forum to be held in Valencia, Spain, will be a
gathering of the world’s academic, research and professional
practitioners of gerontology, geriatric and aged care, including
the private sector. The forum, which will link science with
policy and practice, will revolve around a series of thematic
keynote papers identified in the UN Research Agenda on Ageing
for the 21st Century.
The revised Plan of Action will shape the content of national,
regional and international policies on ageing in the decades
to come. The draft document is built on the concept of a society
for all ages – emphasizing the right of all generations
to participate in society.
As it now stands, the global call for change has three central
themes: development for an ageing world; advancing health and
well-being into old age; and ensuring enabling and supportive
environments.
Concerted action is required to empower people to reach old
age in better health. Helping younger generations to prepare
for old age is therefore critical. A multidimensional effort
is needed that takes into account social factors such as the
promotion of healthy lifestyles and lifelong learning, as well
as economic factors such as increased capacity for savings and
employment. In these times of rapid social and economic change,
more and more people will experience extended adulthoods. The
draft Plan of Action calls for the full inclusion and participation
of older persons in all aspects of society.
The underlying themes are also tied to previous commitments
agreed upon by the international community. With few exceptions,
global ageing influences all other issues on the global agenda.
The task of the United Nations is to move ageing front and center,
into the framework of other United Nations commitments and agendas.
The final chapter of the draft Plan of Action discusses implementation
and follow-up. Many countries are facing the concurrent challenges
of ageing and development, while experiencing severe resource
constraints. Multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary partnerships,
involving civil society and NGOs in particular are crucial to
effective implementation. And while all sections of society
share responsibility, effective implementation will largely
depend on the actions taken by national Governments.
Overall, the document calls for forward-looking policies to
transform the quality of life of women and men as they age,
thereby establishing the foundation for a society
for all ages. It is important to draw upon the experiences of
the past, but also more significantly to remove obsolete concepts
and engage the international community in a vigorous debate
about the enormous opportunities of an ageing society.
In the words of the Secretary-General of the United Nations
on the 11th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons,
2001: “I urge all partners to support this process, and
more broadly to do everything in their power so that all men
and women can age with security and dignity. The seeds of healthy
ageing are planted early in life; that is a challenge we must
take up without delay”.
Diane Loughran is Social Affairs Officer
with the Programme on Ageing, Division for Social Policy and
Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United
Nations, New York. un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/
1.
The Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social
Affairs of the United Nations, World Population Ageing: 1950
– 2050, from the Executive Summary.
|
