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UN Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) focuses on economic development and cooperation in Europe rather than social concerns. UNECE is involved in aging research through its Population Activities Unit and participates in monitoring MIPAA follow-up and implementation. The EU regional implementation strategy (RIS) mandates UNECE to, upon request, assist member states with implementing and evaluating the RIS on a national level. UNECE conducts RIS monitoring through a “co-operative arrangement” with the Government of Austria and the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, a Vienna-based organization affiliated with the United Nations. The Center also facilitates and fosters data collection, research and analysis of aging issues in the region. UNECE remains the main oversight body to the RIS and conducts follow-up reviews at its annual sessions.
Documents | Links
Documents
Europe: As European Population Ages, UN Suggests Ways to Enhance Senior Lives (November 20, 2009)
(Article in French)
In Europe, we can find 4.4 people of working age for every person aged 65 years or older. By 2025, there will three working-age people for every older person, and by 2050 the number will be down to two. To help prepare policymakers for this population change, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) launched a series of four policy briefs on
aging: mainstreaming ageing; gender equality, work and old age; older persons as consumers; participation and integration of older persons.
Commission members call for a "society for all ages" that will require nations to engage older persons'
actively in social, political and economic life, including improving their access to transportation,
appropriate housing and cultural activities. Download the policy briefs from the UNECE.
website: http://www.unece.org/pau/age/Policy_briefs/Welcome.html
Report: Europe: UNECE Policy Briefs on Ageing (November 2009)
Population ageing impacts all spheres of society. To help prepare policymakers for the population change, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) has launched a series of four policy briefs: one on mainstreaming ageing (also available in
Russian), another on gender equality, work and old
age, the third entitled older persons as consumers (also available in
Russian) and a last one focuses on
integration and participation of older persons in society (also available in
Russian).
Report: Europe: Ageing Characterizes the Demographic Perspectives of the European Societies (2008)
The working age population in at least two-thirds of all EU member states is expected to decrease with time according to this population projection by Eurostat. The projection also analyzes the effects of ageing populations on public spending. Interestingly, this analysis is based on the assumption that the socio-economic and cultural values of member states will converge over time, the so-called “convergence” scenario.
Europe: The Leon Declaration: Main Conclusions and Recommendations of the Research Forum on Ageing (November 2007)
Early in November 2007, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) gathered in Leon, Spain, to review the regional implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. The Ministerial Conference on Ageing adopted a declaration. It recommends strengthening cooperation among policy-makers, researchers, NGOs and the private sector, to promote the exchange of research and training, within and among the countries of the UNECE region, and to establish a European Institute on Ageing.
Indicators to Monitor Implementation (April 23, 2007)
As part of the Monitoring the Regional Implementation Strategy Project, the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research produced a set of indicators to measure MIPAA implementation in the UNECE member countries. The first indicators include demography, income, labor market and social protection. Readers can navigate this informative website either by indicator topic, MIPAA commitment or UNECE member country.
Implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing in the UNECE Region (November 13-15, 2006)
This draft summary report summarizes responses to two UNECE questionnaires sent out in October 2004 and June 2006. The report provides an “overview of developments in the Member States regarding activities on ageing and the implementation of MIPAA” and informs the UNECE and its Member States about “current trends in this field.” The report list national aging plans already implemented and those that are in the implementation phase. In addition, the report identifies five priority areas to Member States: a) welfare and well-being, including pension systems, financial assistance to older persons and mobility issues b) health care, including health care provisions, preventative health care and access to health care c) active ageing, including continuous learning, active participation in labor market and social relations d) lifestyle and image e) research.
Meeting
of National Focal Points on Ageing (November 13-15, 2006)
This meeting, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE), the Institute for Older Persons and Social Services (IMSERSO) of
Spain, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), brought
together ageing focal points from all ECE Member States. The meeting helped
the review and appraisal process of MIPAA on the regional and national level
through information exchange and collection. This link provides access to
the background documents, presentations, the participants list and other information.
Workshop “Care Provision in Ageing Societies: What are the
Policy Challenges and How
to Address Them” (May 19
- 21, 2005)
This expert meeting
aimed at promoting “the
national and regional implementation of the commitments related to care
provision contained in the Regional
Implementation
Strategy for the Madrid
International Plan of Action on Ageing
2002.”
Participants pointed out that ECE member countries need to focus on more
research and data collection to fill an existing lack of knowledge on care
issues.
Follow - up to the UNECE -
Regional Implementation Strategy for the Madrid International Plan of Action
on Ageing (February 22-25, 2005)
Rather
than focusing on country implementation reports, this follow-up details
MIPAA, the Berlin Conference on Ageing and several other planning sessions
in 2003 and 2004. Overall, the
follow-up highlights monitoring mechanisms instead of implementation
processes.
Berlin Ministerial Declaration a Society for All Ages in the UNECE Region
(September 11, 2002)
This
Ministerial Declaration reaffirms the commitments of 51 governments that
adopted the European Implementation Strategy for MIPAA. The declaration
draws attention to the economic,
social, political and cultural variations in the region that hinder or
promote MIPAA implementation. Therefore, the declaration urges for
assistance to countries that are less equipped to implement MIPAA, although
the statement doesn’t specify where the assistance will come from.
Regional
Implementation Strategy for the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002
(September 11, 2002)
At the Berlin Ministerial Conference on Ageing, 51 out of 55 ECE Member States adopted the MIPAA implementation strategy for Europe. The strategy centers around 10 commitments ranging from socio-economic integration of older persons into society to the adjustment of existing policies towards population aging. Although the strategy mainly focuses on economic implications of population aging, it also takes into account social aspects, such as gender equality. For example, the policy acknowledges that older women are more vulnerable and therefore require special attention to protect their rights.
.
Links
National
Aging Focal Points of UNECE’s Member States (October 2006)
In order to facilitate regional MIPAA implementation, the UN Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) created a network of national focal points on
ageing among its Member States. The focal points collect information about
each country’s political processes, programs and actions with respect to
aging, and act as advisers for the collection and interpretation of data on
aging within their regions. As of October 2006, some 34 out of 56 UNECE
Member States have nominated a focal point. The first meeting of national
focal points will take place in November 2006, in Segovia, Spain.
UNECE-
Population Activities Unit
UNECE’s Population
Activities Unit (PAU) promotes “policy dialogues among
the UNECE Member States on various facets of demographic change in Europe
and
North America
.”
PAU
’s aging research and data collections aim at providing a knowledge base
for policy makers.
UNECE
Ministerial Conference on Ageing (2002)
The UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing, often
referred to as the Berlin Conference in honor of its location, took place
five months after the World Assembly on Ageing. The Berlin Conference was
the first intergovernmental forum to respond to MIPAA’s mandate by
adopting a regional implementation plan. This website provides background
information on the conference and its proceedings.
Monitoring
the Regional Implementation Strategy
This project is sponsored by the Austrian
government and managed by the European Center for Social Welfare Policy and Research in collaboration with UNECE. The
project provides updated information on MIPAA's integration process in
Europe
as well as the global level.
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