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Specialized Agencies
The UN
Charter recognized the essential link between peace, stability and
economic development, and provided for the establishment of specialized
agencies to promote international economic and social cooperation. The
agencies have wide responsibilities, as defined in their basic
instruments, in economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and
related fields.
The
agencies were created by specific intergovernmental agreements and have
their own constitutions, governing bodies and membership that are
distinct from the UN. However, they have a special relationship with
the UN under agreements reached with ECOSOC, which is authorized to
coordinate their activities through consultation and recommendations,
and to request reports on the implementation of recommendations made by
it or by the General Assembly.
The
agencies are therefore deeply involved in the follow-up to the global
conferences organized by the UN during the past decade, including the
World Assembly on Ageing, and are expected to take action to implement
their respective responsibilities under these mandates. The
following agencies have adopted
programs to ensure the integration of the needs of older persons in
their work.
International
Labour Organization | The Food and Agriculture
Organization | World Health Organization
The International Labour Organisation
The International Labour
Organisation (ILO) is the oldest international agency. Created at the
same time as the League of Nations in 1919, it became the first
specialized agency of the UN in 1946. Its main objective is to promote
social justice and international human and labour rights through the
generation of minimum standards with regard to freedom of association,
the right to organize, collective bargaining, abolition of forced
labour, equality of opportunity and treatment, and other basic issues.
Implementation of standards is reviewed periodically by a Committee of
Experts composed of independent jurists. The ILO also provides
technical assistance to governments to meet their obligations and
fosters the establishment of independent workers' and employers'
organizations. Its Secretariat, the International Labour Office, is
based in Geneva and supports the work of the International Labour
Conference - the main deliberative organ - and its executive council.
ILO’s governing structure is unique in that it brings together
government representatives, employers, and workers on an equal footing.
In relation to MIPAA, the ILO primarily deals with social protection
issues and barriers for the employment of older workers. The ILO’s
Employment Policies Unit and the Social Protection Unit’s Financial,
Actuarial and Statistical Service Branch are the agencies directly
involved with MIPAA follow-up and implementation. The units participate
in inter-agency meetings and contribute to reports on aging. The units
are also part of a task force, set up by the Austrian government, to
guide “the follow-up of the Regional Implementation Strategy of the
MIPAA in the UNECE region.”
Documents
An Inclusive Society for an Ageing
Population: The Employment and Social Protection Challenge (April 8-12,
2002)
This ILO report,
submitted to the World Assembly on Ageing, highlights the ILO’s
commitment to the success of the Assembly and its follow-up. The report
details the “role of employment and social protection as the source of
inclusion in a variety of ways, and presents a set of policy issues
that need to be addressed if 'a society for all ages' is to
become reality.”
Skills and Employability Department - Older Workers
The ILO's Skills and
Employability Department “assists individuals to become employable
through training, skills development and education.” The
Department's “Older Workers” page provides links to research
reports on older person's employment and social protection
issues.
ILO
Website
The Food and
Agricultural Organization
The Food and Agriculture
Organization, headquartered in Italy, is mandated to raise levels of
nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural
productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations. Rural
ageing is one of its priorities. FAO has undertaken a series of studies
on rural ageing and its effects. The articles can be found on the
internet.
FAO
Website
The World Health Organization
The World
Health Organization (WHO) is based in Geneva and was established in
1948. According to WHO’s constitution, their main objective is to
attain the highest possible level of health, defined as a "state of
complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity." WHO assists governments by
strengthening national health services and providing technical
assistance. WHO also works towards maintaining statistical services and
improving nutrition, housing and sanitation. The executive board is
composed of health experts who annually report to the World Health
Assembly, WHO's decision-making body. WHO contributed to the World
Assembly on Aging in 2002 and remains actively involved in MIPPA
implementation and follow-up, particularly by assisting poor countries
to shape and adopt aging policies.
Documents
UN
Calls for Active
Older Citizens Healthcare (April 10, 2012)
In
celebration of World Health Day, United
Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has addressed the need for
providing
active healthcare services to elders. His message is especially
important when
taking into account projections of a substantial increase in persons 80
and
older to 400 million by 2050 and a greater number of people 65 and
older than
children under five within the next five years. Margaret Chain,
Director-General
of the World Health Organization (WHO), underlined and encouraged the
implementation of inexpensive and functional programs that can help
citizens
grow old healthily.
WHO:
Good Health Adds Life to Years: Global Brief for World Health Day 2012
(April 2012)
In the wake of this year’s World Health Day dedicated to healthy aging,
the World Health Organization has put together this global brief,
concentrating on existing health data on the needs of older people. It
is an overview of the situation all over the world and a collection of
ideas and actions to add vitality to our increasing years and to
understand our elders.
International
Plan of Action on Ageing: Report on Implementation (April 2005)
For the most part, the 2005 report repeats
information from its 2004 report on implementation. New to the 2005
report, however, is a decision by the WHO Executive Board to “address
the specific consequences of two emerging issues, namely older persons
caring for family members with HIV/AIDS and abuse of older people”
within its “active and healthy” aging approach.
International Plan of Action on Ageing: Report on
Implementation (November 2004)
This report compiles the World Health Organization’s
(WHO) contributions to MIPPA and its follow-up. Highlights include the
2002 policy framework on active aging, submitted by WHO to the World
Assembly on Ageing, which guides policy makers in shaping and
implementing aging policies at national, regional, and local levels. On
a more practical side of MIPAA implementation, WHO focuses on access to
primary health care for older persons. Seeking information of good
practice and specific policy recommendations from the field, the WHO
will “focus on step-wise implementation of the recommendations” and
“create a knowledge base to support countries in reorienting policies
towards integrated health and social care systems serving older
populations.”
Active
Aging: A Policy Framework (2002)
WHO designed the active aging framework as a guide for health policy
makers on all levels. The framework identifies seven key challenges
connected to population aging and provides suggestions for policy
proposals which are “intended to serve as a baseline for the
development of more specific action steps at regional, national and
local levels in keeping with the action plan adopted by the 2002 Second
United Nations World Assembly on Ageing.”
WHO - Aging
This site presents WHO research, activities and events on aging. The
provided links offer in-depth information on health related aging
issues.
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