Summary: February 26, 2001: Thirty-ninth session of the United Nations' Commission for Social Development. Preparatory Committee for the Second World Assembly on Ageing. Statement by Mr. Carl Älfvåg, Director, Head of Delegation of Sweden on behalf of the European Union (New York)
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia and the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey as well as the EFTA countries, members of the EEA Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway align themselves with this statement. I am pleased to take the floor regarding the preparations for the Second World
Assembly on Ageing.
The European Union takes this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General and the Secretariat for successfully preparing the first Preparatory Committee for the Second World Assembly on Ageing. Allow me also to commend the Secretary-General for the comprehensive report "Towards the Second World Assembly on Ageing". The report identifies some of the most pertinent achievements and challenges that our societies are encountering today.
Almost twenty years have passed since the first World Assembly on Ageing gathered in Vienna. During the past two decades The International Plan of Action on Ageing has had a positive and significant impact on ageing policies, nationally as well as globally. At the same time, however, remarkable changes in age structures, as well as in economic, social and cultural life have brought new challenges before us. These transformations have been the subject for discussion during the 90s, for example
at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen and their follow-up processes. In addition, The International Year of Older Persons in 1999, including the work of the National Committees, contributed considerably to the strengthening of governments' policies, programmes and legislative measures in favour of older persons.
The Second World Assembly on Ageing in Madrid will be of great importance in providing us with an opportunity to take new realities into account. Based on the commitments made in Vienna, we will revise the International Plan of Action and set a long-term strategy for the years to come. The EU believes that this strategy should place strong emphasis on intergenerational issues as matters relevant to older persons cannot be dealt with in isolation.
Mr Chairman,
Given the demographic and societal changes since the adoption of the first International Plan of Action and in the light of the need to adjust our attitudes and policies to today's society, we believe that the core challenges remain the same. How can we create a society for all ages, ensuring income security and sustainable growth in an ageing world as well as promoting inclusion and equal opportunities for all?
Allow me to point out some of the important areas that the European Union has identified in the process leading up to Madrid:
First, older persons should fully enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms and not face discrimination of any kind. Economic, social and cultural rights are of particular importance for the elderly. Full equality and participation requires that the society is accessible to all on an equal basis.
Social and health services need to be adapted to better meet the needs of an ageing population. This includes support for an independent living. Though higher life expectancy creates the opportunity of an increasingly active older generation, it is important to remember also the needs of the very old and frail. Often these persons, in particular older persons with disabilities, will need special support to ensure that their right to participation and social services, including health care is
respected.
Secondly, during the different stages of life, individuals need different kinds of support from society. Remaining active into old age involves awareness of individual needs on many levels: physical, mental, social and spiritual. Work, education and health should all be seen from a life-cycle perspective.
Retirement increases the risk of social exclusion for senior citizens. The combination of older persons comprising a greater proportion of the population and the decline in birth rates in many European countries has brought increased attention to the potential contributions of older persons in the labour market. Enabling older workers to continue to contribute to the economy and mobilising inactive human resources will be crucial factors for social and economic development. This, however,
requires policy action, such as reviewing employment rules and practices and promoting equal opportunities. Access to life-long learning through training, retraining and rehabilitation in order to ensure that skills are up-to-date is an important component in this regard.
One example of the importance of life-long learning is to be found within the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT). By also involving older persons in education and training for new technologies, ICT can effectively be used to improve their quality of life by enhancing individual employability, knowledge and promoting development.
Turning to health issues for older persons, the EU wishes to stress the importance of preventive measures as well as access to health care including rehabilitation. It is vital that Governments make all efforts to ensure a good quality of life for older persons. Steps need to be taken in order to counteract inequalities in health care.
Thirdly, Mr Chairman, with the changing demographic patterns in many developing countries, older persons are increasingly among the poorest in society and in danger of exclusion. We can no longer assume that the extended family will provide support to elderly. In some communities older persons are taking on increasing social and economic roles - as is the case of societies where HIV/AIDS has affected economically active people in already poor households. Under these circumstances, it is often
older women who have to carry the double burden of taking care of sick family members and children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
The EU is committed to the eradication of poverty through its international development efforts and to achieving the 0,7 percent target for Official Development Assistance. The situation for the elderly must be taken into account when formulating and implementing development co-operation policies and programmes to alleviate poverty. We need also to increasingly recognise the role of elderly persons as breadwinners and contributors in the provision of health care, education and subsistence
farming.
Fourthly, gender aspects of ageing and the situation of older women need to be given particular attention. Women have a lower rate of participation in the labour market and are often represented in low paid sectors. Moreover, the important and often unpaid contributions of older women to society, including to the informal sector, must be recognised. Women take the greatest responsibility for the care of family members. Better sharing of family responsibilities therefore needs to be promoted. In
order to ensure economic security for older women, these factors must be taken into account when designing social protection systems.
Mr Chairman, another aspect of security for older persons is integration into a community, on the basis of respect and equality. It implies that older persons are viewed not as vulnerable, dependents in society, but as individuals whose values derive from their contribution in the past, present and future. Governments need to take the lead in promoting positive images of older persons as contributors to society and participants in social development. We also need to recognise that older persons
play an important role in voluntary work. Only when the contributions of older persons to society, as well as adults and young people, are given equal relevance will we have a society for all ages.
In this context, the EU would like to emphasis the importance of fully involving civil society and in particular NGOs representing or working for older persons, into the process of the revision of The International Plan of Action on Ageing. Their experience and commitment is crucial for the formulation of sound policies and strategies as well as ensuring implementation.
Mr. Chairman,
Let me now briefly highlight a number of initiatives in specific policy areas related to ageing that some of the Member States within the European Union as well as a number of Candidate countries have recently undertaken:
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