Ms. Monica Roque, a global leader in the field of aging, is the National Director for Older Persons at the National Department of Childhood, Adolescence and Family of the Ministry of Social Development for the Republic of Argentina.
GAA: Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you born? Where did you complete your studies? Were there important people in your life growing up?
MR: I grew up in Córdoba, which is a province in Argentina. I did my pre-med studies in Córdoba and completed my graduate studies in gerontology in Buenos Aires. All of the older members in my family influenced me as I was growing up.
GAA: How did you become interested in the field of aging? What was your path in the field?
MR: I was always interested in social justice. I belonged to the Eva Perón movement which was committed to social justice. During my studies, I met Professor Silvia Gascón who guided me toward the aging field.
GAA: What are your responsibilities? How large is your team to carry out this enormous task? What are the main rights issues facing older people in Argentina?
MR: In addition to be the National Director for Older Persons, I am also the Director for the Career in Gerontology at the National University of Mar del Plata. There are 600 gerontologists in the entire country. I communicate with them, the general public, representatives from PAMI (the National Institute of Social Services for Retired Persons), ANSES (the National Administration for Social Security), the Federal Counsel for Older Persons and representatives from Argentina’s 24 provinces. The central office has 50 staff members but I also communicate with people from the regional offices. I communicate with 9 senior care centers around Buenos Aires. The principal goals are to maintain the social security being offered to over 90% of the population and to ensure medical coverage for all. The biggest challenges are to protect older persons in rural areas, especially in care centers.
GAA: Why are you interested in a Human Rights Convention for Older Persons? When did you start becoming active in this effort? What do you make of the regional process?
MR: In a world as unjust as this one, it is important that we hold the poorest governments accountable to guarantee the rights of older persons. It has been 2 years, in conjunction with the Brasilia Declaration, since I have started being involved in the Convention creation process. As for the regional process, we are in the process of working with the United Nations.
GAA: Were you conscious of the issues around privatization of pensions that the World Bank and other international financial institutions imposed as conditionality on Argentina for funding? Did Did the actions of Paula Duarte (who hanged herself in political protest against pension privatization in 1992) and Norma Pla (a pensioners rights activist) impact your consciousness – or others you know – about elder human rights?
MR: Yes, I was aware of the World Bank’s actions but fortunately, the pensions were made public about a year ago. Yes, I did admire Norma Pla for standing up with her peers to protest against the freezing of the pension.
GAA: What are some of the essential topics that you feel must be covered in both a regional and a global convention on aging issues?
MR: Retirement, pensions, health care, and those who are institutionalized.
GAA: You are a key figure in the worldwide movement for a human rights convention. How can NGOs and others be helpful to you in this effort?
MR: The most important thing that NGOs can do is to be a reliable source of information for the public. It is important for the public to know that we have a document which will link all of us together. I would like the International Convention to develop as soon as possible; therefore it would be useful if NGOs share the agenda with the public via their websites, newspapers, and their individual ways.
GAA: Thank you for taking your time to respond to our questions.
MR: Thank you, it was my pleasure. [rc]
Copyright © Global Action on Aging
July 24, 2009
ARGENTINA: "Governments of poorest countries must guarantee rights of OAPs"
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NEW YORK, NY / GAA Newsletter / July 24, 2009
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -
Monica Roque, the dynamic director of Argentina's Aging Program, hosted the recent session in Buenos Aires that launched work on a Regional Human Rights Convention on Aging for Latin America and the Caribbean. Read the interview and catch the spirit of Monica Roque in her lively discussion with Jacqueline Foelster.
By Jacqueline Foelster, Intern - GAA
Ms. Monica Roque, a global leader in the field of aging, is the National Director for Older Persons at the National Department of Childhood, Adolescence and Family of the Ministry of Social Development for the Republic of Argentina.
GAA: Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you born? Where did you complete your studies? Were there important people in your life growing up?
MR: I grew up in Córdoba, which is a province in Argentina. I did my pre-med studies in Córdoba and completed my graduate studies in gerontology in Buenos Aires. All of the older members in my family influenced me as I was growing up.
GAA: How did you become interested in the field of aging? What was your path in the field?
MR: I was always interested in social justice. I belonged to the Eva Perón movement which was committed to social justice. During my studies, I met Professor Silvia Gascón who guided me toward the aging field.
GAA: What are your responsibilities? How large is your team to carry out this enormous task? What are the main rights issues facing older people in Argentina?
MR: In addition to be the National Director for Older Persons, I am also the Director for the Career in Gerontology at the National University of Mar del Plata. There are 600 gerontologists in the entire country. I communicate with them, the general public, representatives from PAMI (the National Institute of Social Services for Retired Persons), ANSES (the National Administration for Social Security), the Federal Counsel for Older Persons and representatives from Argentina’s 24 provinces. The central office has 50 staff members but I also communicate with people from the regional offices. I communicate with 9 senior care centers around Buenos Aires. The principal goals are to maintain the social security being offered to over 90% of the population and to ensure medical coverage for all. The biggest challenges are to protect older persons in rural areas, especially in care centers.
GAA: Why are you interested in a Human Rights Convention for Older Persons? When did you start becoming active in this effort? What do you make of the regional process?
MR: In a world as unjust as this one, it is important that we hold the poorest governments accountable to guarantee the rights of older persons. It has been 2 years, in conjunction with the Brasilia Declaration, since I have started being involved in the Convention creation process. As for the regional process, we are in the process of working with the United Nations.
GAA: Were you conscious of the issues around privatization of pensions that the World Bank and other international financial institutions imposed as conditionality on Argentina for funding? Did Did the actions of Paula Duarte (who hanged herself in political protest against pension privatization in 1992) and Norma Pla (a pensioners rights activist) impact your consciousness – or others you know – about elder human rights?
MR: Yes, I was aware of the World Bank’s actions but fortunately, the pensions were made public about a year ago. Yes, I did admire Norma Pla for standing up with her peers to protest against the freezing of the pension.
GAA: What are some of the essential topics that you feel must be covered in both a regional and a global convention on aging issues?
MR: Retirement, pensions, health care, and those who are institutionalized.
GAA: You are a key figure in the worldwide movement for a human rights convention. How can NGOs and others be helpful to you in this effort?
MR: The most important thing that NGOs can do is to be a reliable source of information for the public. It is important for the public to know that we have a document which will link all of us together. I would like the International Convention to develop as soon as possible; therefore it would be useful if NGOs share the agenda with the public via their websites, newspapers, and their individual ways.
GAA: Thank you for taking your time to respond to our questions.
MR: Thank you, it was my pleasure. [rc]
Copyright © Global Action on Aging
Ms. Monica Roque, a global leader in the field of aging, is the National Director for Older Persons at the National Department of Childhood, Adolescence and Family of the Ministry of Social Development for the Republic of Argentina.
GAA: Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you born? Where did you complete your studies? Were there important people in your life growing up?
MR: I grew up in Córdoba, which is a province in Argentina. I did my pre-med studies in Córdoba and completed my graduate studies in gerontology in Buenos Aires. All of the older members in my family influenced me as I was growing up.
GAA: How did you become interested in the field of aging? What was your path in the field?
MR: I was always interested in social justice. I belonged to the Eva Perón movement which was committed to social justice. During my studies, I met Professor Silvia Gascón who guided me toward the aging field.
GAA: What are your responsibilities? How large is your team to carry out this enormous task? What are the main rights issues facing older people in Argentina?
MR: In addition to be the National Director for Older Persons, I am also the Director for the Career in Gerontology at the National University of Mar del Plata. There are 600 gerontologists in the entire country. I communicate with them, the general public, representatives from PAMI (the National Institute of Social Services for Retired Persons), ANSES (the National Administration for Social Security), the Federal Counsel for Older Persons and representatives from Argentina’s 24 provinces. The central office has 50 staff members but I also communicate with people from the regional offices. I communicate with 9 senior care centers around Buenos Aires. The principal goals are to maintain the social security being offered to over 90% of the population and to ensure medical coverage for all. The biggest challenges are to protect older persons in rural areas, especially in care centers.
GAA: Why are you interested in a Human Rights Convention for Older Persons? When did you start becoming active in this effort? What do you make of the regional process?
MR: In a world as unjust as this one, it is important that we hold the poorest governments accountable to guarantee the rights of older persons. It has been 2 years, in conjunction with the Brasilia Declaration, since I have started being involved in the Convention creation process. As for the regional process, we are in the process of working with the United Nations.
GAA: Were you conscious of the issues around privatization of pensions that the World Bank and other international financial institutions imposed as conditionality on Argentina for funding? Did Did the actions of Paula Duarte (who hanged herself in political protest against pension privatization in 1992) and Norma Pla (a pensioners rights activist) impact your consciousness – or others you know – about elder human rights?
MR: Yes, I was aware of the World Bank’s actions but fortunately, the pensions were made public about a year ago. Yes, I did admire Norma Pla for standing up with her peers to protest against the freezing of the pension.
GAA: What are some of the essential topics that you feel must be covered in both a regional and a global convention on aging issues?
MR: Retirement, pensions, health care, and those who are institutionalized.
GAA: You are a key figure in the worldwide movement for a human rights convention. How can NGOs and others be helpful to you in this effort?
MR: The most important thing that NGOs can do is to be a reliable source of information for the public. It is important for the public to know that we have a document which will link all of us together. I would like the International Convention to develop as soon as possible; therefore it would be useful if NGOs share the agenda with the public via their websites, newspapers, and their individual ways.
GAA: Thank you for taking your time to respond to our questions.
MR: Thank you, it was my pleasure. [rc]
Copyright © Global Action on Aging
