NGO Forum on Ageing 5-9 April 2002

THE EX-PRESIDENT OF COMMITTEE OF NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS BELIEVES THAT THE UN HAS NOT GIVEN THE RIGHT IMPORTANCE TO THE II MEETING

By : NGO Forum on Ageing
April 6, 2002

Afaf Mahfouz: “ We will make the UN know what our position is”

- You have declared that the UN has not given the same importance to the II Meeting on Ageing. What do you think their reasons are?

- I do not know the reasons, but it is an obvious fact, specially in relation to the representation and the meaning of the processes from the beginning to the date.

- Do you think that the UN is not going to give the right attention to the problem of ageing?

- Well, at least we are going to make sure that they know our position, because we are working hard to put at their disposal important and varied matters at a national and international level.

- What are the aims of CONGO?

- Our organization has a triangular structure, it is an organization of elderly people in which anyone who wants to give a message is heard: he/she will be an active member both if he/she is a member or not. Our aim is to be present at all the round tables at which there will be discussed all the matters related to elderly people.

- Do you think that the participation of elderly people is essential?

- Not only the participation of elderly people is basic to reach our aims, but also the participation of young people, because these get old and will be elderly people some day.

_ If you had to choose between one of the aim of this Forum which should it be?

- That the Plan of Action which is approved at the II Meeting would be put in practice.