Ensuring Full and Rightful Role of Older Persons in Society, Sustaining Social Protection Systems Stressed on Second Day of Ageing Assembly, Madrid

By : United Nations
April 9, 2002

ILO and WHO Stress the Scope for Making Needed Changes in Care Systems : 

The rights of older persons and promotion of their full and rightful role in society, sustaining systems for social protection and inter-generational solidarity were among the issues raised during the general exchange of views as the Second World Assembly on Ageing continued its work in Madrid, Spain, this morning.

Felipe Paolillo of Uruguay said that those priorities were among the aims of the draft Plan of Action to be adopted at the closing of the conference. As Chairman of the Main Committee, which is charged with concluding negotiations on the Assembly's outcome documents, he had seen that many experts negotiating the Plan of Action were young people. He took it as a message of hope for older generations. Older persons could be confident that their future was in good hands, in the hands of young people -- that is, in the hands of future older persons.

Ismail Amat, State Councillor of China, said that all countries should address ageing in line with their national conditions, take full account of the needs of older persons and incorporate ageing into their economic and social development programs. Proactive measures to protect the rights of older persons and enhance their quality of life constituted an important responsibility of governments and societies worldwide.

Immediate action was required to improve the viability of social protection systems, Germany's Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Christine Bergmann said. Without fundamental reforms, many countries would find it impossible to ensure the sustainability of their pension systems. New pension legislation in Germany was based on the conviction that viable pension systems required a balanced and fair distribution between generations. Pension contributions should not overburden future generations, while providing an adequate level of income for those in retirement.

"We have more than fulfilled the International Plan of Action adopted in Vienna, ensuring the right of all citizens to a happy, active and secure old age", Cuba's Minister of Labour and Social Security, Alfredo Morales Cartaya, said. Cuba proved that even with small resources, it was possible to achieve better quality of life for people. His country's social policies guaranteed employment, education, health care, social security and stability for all. Those advances were only possible under the system of socialism.

Also addressing the Assembly, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the challenge was to turn the seismic demographic shift into a full benefit for society. Evidence suggested that pessimistic predictions as far as health care was concerned were based on assumptions that health-care structures would simply remain as they are. In truth, there was considerable scope to change them. Among the questions to be addressed in that regard were prevention, changes in lifestyles and promotion of research and knowledge.

Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) argued with the position that an ageing population would put additional burdens on social protection systems already struggling to provide health care, food, housing, work and education. While that was an issue that certainly needed to be addressed, it was truly important

that for many people, living longer was accompanied by the desire to continue being useful to their communities. Achieving full employment was the best way to ensure reasonable welfare provisions and afford the guarantee of a pension when the time comes for people to leave active employment.

Also speaking this morning were Ministers from Austria, Gambia, Nepal, Barbados, Croatia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Denmark, Mongolia and Mexico, as well as the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan. The representative of Suriname spoke as well, as did a representative of Switzerland.

Statements were also made by the representatives of two non-governmental organizations, International Longevity Centre and Mensajeros de la Paz.

The Assembly will continue its general exchange of views at 3 p.m. today.

Statements

RUTH DREIFUSS, Federal Councillor of Switzerland: One of the achievements of the industrialized countries during the last century was to set up good social security services for old people. In these countries, old age is no longer a synonym for poverty. This does not mean we can sit back and think our work is done. On the contrary, we must improve what still remains to be improved and also cooperate with developing countries to help them set up an adequate system of social security for old people. Priority must be given to the problems of old people in situations of violence, armed conflict and forced migration, who are particularly vulnerable.

Switzerland shares the basic values on which the Plan of Action presented here is founded. It is essential that the basic needs of old people are covered, but it is also necessary that their fundamental rights are respected and that discrimination based on age and sex is eliminated. Bringing together the community and old people themselves to search for solutions affecting them directly is a true choice for society. In a multi-cultural society like Switzerland, where the number of foreigners is high, this means taking into account the specific problems immigrants face in their old age.

In the efforts made to face the challenge of an ageing population, women play an essential role. In most cases, after having brought up their children, they are needed to look after their parents or parents-in-law. They are often called on to look after their grandchildren too. They take on one duty after another, often exhausting themselves and finding it difficult to reconcile all their responsibilities. The role of women merits more appreciation and recognition, notably through setting up a specific old-age pension scheme.

ISMAIL AMAT, State Councillor of China: We have noted with joy that over the past two decades, efforts have been made to facilitate the implementation of the 1982 International Plan of Action on Ageing. With the rapid growth of the world's older population, the issue of ageing is now looming larger than ever, particularly in developing countries. Under economic and social constraints, the basic needs of many senior citizens have not been met, and the quality of their life in not sufficiently high. The convocation of the Second Assembly is thus of great significance for further mobilizing the entire society.

All countries should understand and address ageing in line with their national conditions, take full account of the needs of older persons and incorporate ageing into their economic and social development programmes. Proactive measures are needed to protect the rights and interests of older persons and enhance their quality of life. This is an important responsibility of governments and societies worldwide. This is also part and parcel of the efforts to protect human rights. Within the framework of economic development and overall progress, the priorities of all countries should include poverty eradication and improvement of health services. Adequate attention should be given to older people's cultural and spiritual needs. It is also important to promote extensive cooperation on ageing and provide adequate financing for activities on ageing.

As many as 132 million of China's people are now over 60, accounting for more than 10 per cent of the country's population. The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the interests of the older population. It has been working hard to implement United Nations resolutions on ageing and the Plan of Action adopted at the First World Assembly on Ageing. Among the measures undertaken in the country are the promulgation of the law on the protection of the older persons' rights and interests and the five-year plan on the issues of ageing. The Government has been developing its social security system, advocating senior citizens' participation in public welfare activities and bringing into play the talents of older people with scientific and technological expertise. Vigorous efforts have been made to improve community welfare services, health care, cultural and sports activities for older persons, and to further promote long-standing virtues of respect for older people and providing for them.

DILBAR GULIAMOVA, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan: Demographic forecasts suggest that in about 10 to 15 years the number of older persons in Uzbekistan will reach 8 per cent of the population. This growth is due to improved demographic growth trends, which include a reduced birth rate, lower mortality rate, increased lifespan and improved medical services.

The problems of ageing and of older persons are always at the centre of the Government's attention in Uzbekistan. The year 2002 was proclaimed the "year to protect the interests of older people" in Uzbekistan, which focuses on promoting the growth of family, social and creative organizations, strengthening social measures for older persons, strengthening care for pensioners and invalids, increasing security for older persons and improving the upbringing and education of youth in caring for parents and the older generation.

As part of that program, various measures have been adopted to improve health care and prolong life for older persons, including the creation of a special gerontological service to treat older persons. A national gerontological centre has been created, with offices throughout the country. District hospitals are equipped with special geriatric departments, which use modern methods taking into account the particular requirements of treatment for older persons.

The Government has adopted a special program to strengthen social support for older citizens, particularly food, pension and health security. It also provides older persons with free medicines, hearing aids, dental services and home care, so that they can, as far as possible, participate in an active social life and realize their spiritual potential.

HERBERT HAUPT, Federal Minister for Social Security and Generation of Austria: The revision and further development of the International Plan of Action of 1982 offers indispensable orientations and guidelines to respond to the challenges of the demographic revolution. Only if we can adequately assess the true dimension of future developments can we devise adequate strategies. Today, 20 years on, the revised Plan of Action establishes the important relationship between population ageing and the necessity of sustainable development. It focuses on the promotion of health and well-being over the life cycle, and demographic change is seen in the context of a policy for all ages. We welcome the fact that the revised Plan of Action also stresses the effective implementation of the objectives of ageing policies at all levels of government, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations and the United Nations system.

In Austria, ageing policies are more than just securing pensions or the health system. The Federal Senior Citizen Act of 1998 constitutes a first clear step for strengthening the participation and opportunities of older generations and provides for the funding of the activities of major organizations of older persons. The Federal Senior Citizen Advisory Committee was set up to put forward concrete proposals for the further development of policies for and with older persons. Due to an amendment to the Act, the Austrian Council of Older Persons was authorized to represent Austrian older women and men.

The International Year of Volunteers last year was a highly welcome support to our efforts to highlight the relevance of older persons for the well-being of the community. Voluntary work is indispensable not just for the community, but also offers older people who have retired a possibility to find a new source for self-realization. The demographic changes, with all their challenges for health and social systems, the pensions system, care and family policy, the economy and education, require a clear avowal of an active and positive design of the social framework. Demographic change is not a threat, but enriches our lives. Ageing in good health while leading a self-determined life and being fully integrated in society is a perspective we have to open up for an ever-increasing number of people.

ALFREDO MORALES CARTAYA, Minister of Labour and Social Security of Cuba: The ageing of the world population is a natural phenomenon, which affects everybody. The challenge is to ensure the quality of life for older people. While the countries of the North are getting closer to this goal, hundreds of millions in the South do not have the right to old age, and are suffering from poverty and poor health conditions. Wars do not kill hunger and disease, but they do kill the hungry and the sick. The world is now witnessing the escalation of the Palestinian tragedy, with the complacency of the United States and the silence of others. Cuba reiterates its support for the people of Palestine and demands action on behalf of the international community to halt the genocide.

The tragedy of those who cannot afford to get old is not the fault of the people in developing countries, but rather of those who colonized and plundered their countries and continues to do so. The problems of the ageing population for at least three quarters of humankind living in poor countries are exacerbated by the economic and social problems for which States are responsible. Effective global measures need to be applied to address the problem. It is not enough to gather together in order to adopt plans of action if there is no political will to implement them. We must close the gap between the rich and the poor and eliminate the gap between countries. Social policies should ensure fairness and a good quality of life for older people. It is necessary to cancel debt and create favourable trade conditions in order to allow poor countries to implement such policies.

Cuba, a small third world country, subjected to a criminal blockade, proves that even with small resources, it is possible to achieve better quality of life for people. In 2025, one fourth of the population of the country will be over 60. The social policies implemented in Cuba guarantee employment, education, health care, drinking water and electricity, social security and stability for all. Older adults benefit from the work of physicians and gerontology teams, as well as homes for the elderly and recreation groups. The majority of those living alone receive food and laundry services, as well as home cleaning and maintenance services. The entire population is covered by social services. The living conditions and care for the elderly are among the Government's priorities. These advances are only possible under the system of socialism. We have more than fulfilled the International Plan of Action adopted in Vienna, ensuring the right of all citizens to a happy, active and secure old age.

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