Older people have clear aspirations and want policy makers to hear themLONDON, England (Help The Aged), February 8, 2008:
Older people from developing countries will call on governments to fulfil their obligations to their ageing populations when the UN Commission for Social Development (CSD) meets in New York this week.
The 46th CSD session on February 6 - 15, 2008 will review progress in implementing the 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). MIPAA emphasises older people's rights and participation in development processes. It calls for the poverty of older people to be reduced in line with the Millennium Development Goal to halve extreme poverty by 2015.
The CSD endorsed a bottom-up, participatory approach to the first five-year review of MIPAA. However, very few formal government responses were developed in conjunction with older people.
Clear aspirations
The Age Demands Action campaign, coordinated by HelpAge International and partners in 2007, showed that older people have clear aspirations and want their voices to be heard in policy processes.
Small delegations of older people in 26 countries met with government representatives on and around 1 October 2007, the International Day of Older Persons, to present their issues and demand that governments fulfil their commitments under MIPAA. They won commitments to increased pensions, improved healthcare and better access to basic needs.
At the 46th CSD session, HelpAge International will organise a side event, “Out of the shadows”, to highlight older people’s concerns. Older people from Peru, Slovenia, Uganda and Vietnam who took part in the Age Demands Action campaign will share the outcomes of the consultations that took place as part of Age Demands Action.
The side event at UN Headquarters on February 11 will explore how to ensure that MIPAA is implemented in a way that reflects older people’s concerns, and that future reviews are based on a ‘bottom-up’ approach.
Social pensions
The main theme of the 46th CSD session is “Promoting full employment and decent work for all”. Social protection is one of the four pillars of the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda.
Social protection measures, including social pensions, are increasingly recognised as necessary to tackle chronic poverty and meet the Millennium Development Goals.
Political will
“The 46th CSD session is critical for older men and women,” says HelpAge International Policy Manager Sylvia Beales. “Member states must renew political will to take action on ageing, including regular income, affordable healthcare and non-discriminatory legislation.
“There must be renewed support for older people and their governments to engage in a bottom-up approach to reviewing MIPAA. This is necessary to ensure that policies on ageing are responsive to older people’s needs and rights, and that they receive the political and financial backing they require.”
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