Speakers urge International Support for Ageing Plans at  Madrid Assembly

By : United Nations
April 12, 2002

Rights-Based Approach, Gender Issues Also Stressed

The links between development and ageing, human rights, the specific problems of women, the heterogeneous character of diverse ageing groups and research into ageing issues were addressed this afternoon as the Second World Assembly on Ageing continued its general exchange of views.

Several speakers emphasized the need for international solidarity in addressing challenges developing countries faced in coping with the trends in ageing. Ecuador's Vice-Minister of Social Welfare Ernesto Pazmino emphasized that international actors and donors must cooperate with poor countries to devise a plan so that they could alleviate their heavy debt burdens. He said a situation where a country had to use more than half of its resources earmarked for development towards debt payments was untenable and a solution must be found if poor countries were to live up to their international commitments. That would require industrialized countries to live up to their international commitments and meet their targets for official development assistance.

The representative of Guyana stressed the importance of a human-rights approach to ageing that supported the freedom and dignity of all persons irrespective of age, as well as the inviolability of all human rights -- civil, political, economic, social and cultural. It also promoted the essential nature of ensuring the right to development to provide an enabling environment at both national and international levels. Ensuring the promotion of human rights was even more necessary in a globalizing economy, where the cultural significance of older persons was dismissed and they were seen merely as passive recipients.

Underlining the fact that older persons were not a homogeneous group, New Zealand's representative said that the ageing trend in her country would be accompanied by increases in the ethnic and social make-up of the elderly communities, including higher percentages of Maori, as well as Pacific and Asian peoples. All those groups would have different aspirations and expectations. It would therefore become increasingly important to monitor the changing characteristics of ageing populations so that policies for older people could be tailored to promote positive ageing.

The Minister of National Unity and Social Development of Malaysia said women tended to outlive men. That increasing number of elderly and ageing women has social, economic and cultural implications on policy and programmes. The emerging trend had to receive due attention, and appropriate measures must be taken to ensure that older women, in particular those who were single, had affordable access to the necessary services and facilities.

She also implored the United Nations and its various organizations to undertake further research into the prospect for such issues as ageing, and productivity. Member States with various cultural, racial and religious characteristics could share their experiences in that regard.

Reporting on the "Valencia Forum", a gathering of 500 leading researchers, educators and practitioners in the field of ageing which took place from 1 to 4 April, the Convenor of the Forum said it had pointed to the hard evidence linking poverty and health with ageing and had proposed possible approaches to dealing with the problems. The Research Agenda on Ageing for the Twenty-First Century was designed to support the International Plan of Action and identified priorities for research and data-collection in order to support the implementation and monitoring of policy actions proposed in the Plan of Action

Ministers from Slovenia, Guinea, Yugoslavia, Azerbaijan and Syria also addressed the Assembly, as did representatives of Mali, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Zambia, Bolivia, Jordan, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka.

The representative of the League of Arab States spoke as well.

The Assembly further heard statements from representative of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of the International Social Security Association and the American Association of Retired Persons. It also heard a report from the Committee on Ageing of the Conference of the NGOs on Ageing.

The Second World Assembly on Ageing will meet again tomorrow at 10 a.m. to continue its general exchange of views.

Statements

VLADO DIMOVSKI, Minister for Labour, Family and Social Affairs of Slovenia: It is important to tackle the problem of ageing on the global level, as well as at the national one. The importance of drafting strategies that will enable implementation in countries that do not have adequate financial resources needs to be stressed.

In Slovenia, 14 per cent of the population is already over 65. This percentage will increase to 20 by the year 2020. The Government has to pursue two main goals: maintaining a high level of social protection of the elderly, and adjusting the social security system in line with demographic changes. One of the most important reforms that has to take place is reform of the pension system. Other reforms are in the field of health care, housing and social care. Four years ago, the Government adopted the National Development Programme for Care of Elderly Persons, aiming among other things at the de-institutionalization of services. It is also crucial to enable the development of programmes targeted at the prevention of loneliness and social exclusion of the elderly.

Slovenia has a long tradition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). One of the characteristics of these is that older persons are represented in them in large numbers. The basic mission of these organizations, which unite the elderly, is to prevent their social exclusion and to reduce the stereotyped image of the elderly as being merely users of various services. The elderly in Slovenia are also organized in a political party and, as such, have a significant influence on the creation of legislation that concerns them.

BRUCE MARIAMA ARIBOT, Minister of Social Affairs, Advancement of Women and the Child of Guinea: In Guinea, the issue of elderly people is neither a population problem, nor a crucial social problem. The traditional society of Guinea operates on a gerontocratic basis. Older persons enjoy a privileged status because of their important role in the extended family. They are not only factors for social order and justice, they also establish social cohesion. The recognition of this status means that the younger generation is obliged to guarantee full support to older people. The family forms a security shell in which older persons see their major needs satisfied.

As a consequence of urban migration and other economic circumstances there is a need for effective policies for protection of the social and health needs of older persons. The Ministry of Social Affairs is the Government institution in charge of older persons, and draws up a strategy in that regard.

The lack of a specific policy on older persons has to be noted, however. The Minister of Social Affairs is filling that gap by drawing up annual strategies. These strategies also support NGOs in the society who assist citizens in difficulties. The set of legal provisions in Guinea has taken into account the rights of older persons to housing, health and nutrition.

The progress of science and better living conditions are promoting longevity. The number of individuals over 60 is continuing to grow. We hope that at a world organization for ageing will be established.

MIODRAG KOVAC, Federal Secretary for Labour, Health and Social Policy of Yugoslavia: We desire to prolong life, and we have succeeded globally, provided that we disregard the failures such as wars, major disasters and new communicable diseases. It will not be possible to prolong life unless we improve the very quality of life. What we want to do now is to safeguard the quality and the dignity of prolonged years of life of each individual.

In 2000, people over 60 constituted 18.5 per cent of the population of Yugoslavia. The elderly are predominantly living in a family milieu, but 15 per cent of them live alone. By 2025, one out of four citizens will be over 60 years. The most important aspects of the present system of social welfare for the elderly are: old age pensions and disability insurance, health insurance, war veterans care, public welfare, and family and relative welfare. The integration of all elderly into active forms of life is the essence of the new Yugoslav plan of action. It includes goals of respect for and the dignity of the elderly, concern for their living conditions, housing and other needs, and the exercise of their rights to social and economic security. Other goals are recognition of the need of the elderly to remain in the desired family and social milieu, and respect for the democratic rights of the elderly in regard to religious, spiritual, cultural and other needs.

AMADOU ROUAMBA, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Social Development, Solidarity and Ageing of Mali: Ensuring the place and role of older people has always been the cornerstone of our social fabric. In the early 1990s, we created a ministry to help strengthen our national initiatives on behalf of our elder communities, which has enabled the Government to make significant improvements in the situation of older persons throughout our societies. Our national policy of solidarity has been complemented by a special programme based on keeping older persons in contact with other generations. This will prevent social breakdowns and ensure a society for all ages.

Our policies also include the participation of NGOs, civil society and private sector actors. We have established a research institute on geriatrics, which is recognized by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. I would also like to emphasize the recent creation of a national council of older persons. This is the highest body representing the concerns of older persons in the country. The President of Mali is personally committed to implementing all Government policies towards the development of older persons in the country. This was exemplified by our recent celebration of the International Day of Older Persons.

Despite our efforts to participate fully in international meetings on the elderly, our contributions will remain somewhat limited due to the country's economic difficulties. Therefore, particular emphasis must be put on eradicating poverty in general, as well as poverty among the ageing. We also feel that the revised Plan of Action on Ageing under consideration should deal with the eradication of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other diseases. We realize that very little that is given to African countries to address situations specifically relate to ageing on the continent. We call on the wider international community, donor countries and international financial institutions to commit themselves to helping our countries' efforts towards ensuring policy advancements in the name of our elder populations.

SITI ZAHARAH SULAIMAN, Minister of National Unity and Social Development of Malaysia: We believe that the family is a basic unit of society and the primary source of nurturing, caring and providing support for the sick, the disabled and older people. For this reason, emphasis is placed on strengthening of the family unit. Institutionalization of the elderly is seen as the last resort. To encourage families to care for older persons, the Government has allowed for tax deductions for the payment of medical expenses. It has also established community-based day-care centres, as well as homes for older persons who are destitute.

The Government has allocated a sufficient budget to ensure that all groups of the population, including older people, have the opportunity and the means to participate in the development process. Our plan of action outlines the provision of health care for older persons, with emphasis on: community-based services and geriatric care; social and recreational activities; safe housing; research and development; and advocacy programmes. Steps are being taken to acknowledge the productive capabilities of older persons and their contributions to national development. We have extended the retirement age for employees in the public sector and provided opportunities for retraining, life-long education and employment of older people.

A significant emerging trend is the feminization of ageing, which also presents a great challenge to us. Women tend to outlive men. This increasing number of elderly and ageing women has social, economic and cultural implications on policy and programmes. This emerging trend has to receive due attention, and appropriate measures have to be taken to ensure that older women, in particular those who are single, have affordable access to the necessary services and facilities.

With regard to the ageing issues at hand, Malaysia wishes to implore the United Nations and its various organizations to undertake further research into the prospect for such issues as ageing, and productivity. Member States with various cultural, racial and religious characteristics can share their experiences in that regard.

ALI NAGHIYEV, Minister for Social Security and Labour of Azerbaijan: Despite some achievements, the situation on ageing now requires new policies. This Assembly shows that international cooperation and solidarity is a very important factor. Azerbaijan has undertaken a programme for rendering assistance to vulnerable people, in particular older persons. Comprehensive social protection of the older person is a high priority of the Government. The numbers of older persons has increased by 3 per cent in Azerbaijan. Ageing, therefore, raises additional problems to social services. The people have placed the greatest value on respect for the older persons for centuries.

The Government has adopted important legislation. A fundamental element of its strategy is to strengthen measures to combat poverty and increase social protection. Pension reform is taking place as well. Numerous international organizations have assisted in a number of projects to solve the problems of older persons. There is, however, a need to improve the quality of such joint activities in order to achieve more effective results.

Despite all measures the Government is taking, the problem requires even more attention because of the presence of refugees and forced migrants. Armenia had occupied more than 20 per cent of Azerbaijan which resulted in a flow of refugees and forced migrants, often living in tents. The most vulnerable part of that group is the category of older persons. Housed in temporary camps, they have limited access to medical services and nutrition. Despite measures, the situation of those older persons remains a difficult one. The guarantee of social protection to older persons provided by the State must be supported by the international community, among other things, through respect for the territorial integrity of the State.

Next Page