"Ageing in Europe and North America
has been one of the
most remarkable 'success stories' of our times"
"Ageing in Europe and North America has been one of the most remarkable
'success stories' of our times. For the first time in history most people
today can look towards old age without trepidation about their economic circumstances,
but with hope." At the Madrid Summit, the United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UNECE) brings the policy experience of its member countries, showing
how and why old age can be a fundamental component of dynamic economies and
cohesive societies. This will be one of the main messages that Mr. Paolo Garonna,
Deputy Executive Secretary of UNECE, will deliver at the Second World Assembly
on Ageing, which will be held in Madrid, Spain, from 8 to 12 April.
As population ageing is no longer a phenomenon limited to the developed countries
and the number of older persons living in developing countries is expected
to quadruple during the next fifty years, one question naturally arises: under
what conditions that success story can be replicated in other parts of the
world? A more equitable participation in development and wider access to the
opportunities that it creates is certainly one such precondition. At the recent
Monterey Summit on financing for development, UNECE donor countries already
committed a significant amount of Official Development Aid (ODA) to that end.
But more than aid, it is the transfer of know-how on policy reforms and best
practice from the most successful ECE countries that can assist developing
countries in preparing themselves to the formidable policy challenges of ageing.
Pension system reforms, active labour market policies for older workers, other
forms of activities, informal services and domestic work, long-term care and
new forms of social protection, life-long learning and training, public services
and private-public partnerships: there is a wealth of experience that should
be shared and discussed in a policy dialogue among the different regions in
the UN system.
Other preconditions are improved peace and security and multi-cultural and
inter-generational dialogue and solidarity. "Imagine . that older people
from Northern Europe or America move to warmer regions in the developing world,
rich in culture and tradition, in search of milder climate, a more relaxed
pace of life and quality services! Why should we not expect to see retirement
emigration of the kind we see in Costa Brava or the Riviera, also in some
parts of Asia or Africa", said Mr. Garonna, adding that "we can
show retirement emigration has had a positive impact on many areas of the
Mediterranean, for example."
However, there are parts of Europe where ageing poses considerable challenges.
One group of countries, where the economic and social implications of ageing
are of particular importance and growing concern are the countries with economies
in transition. Although the process of population ageing in these countries
is not as pronounced as elsewhere in Europe, the constraints set by the economic
difficulties and fiscal consolidation during the transition period, as well
as by the inherent vulnerability of societies in flux, require special attention
and swift action by both policy makers and other social actors. The impact
of population ageing in many of these countries, like for instance in the
Balkans, is further compounded by the major irregularities in the age structures,
triggered by the effects of wars and the miscalculated policy interventions
of the former communist regimes.
"Meeting the challenges and harnessing the potential of ageing requires
profound changes in established social institutions, in attitudes, in national
and international policies and in community, corporate and other organizational
practices", said Mr. Macura, Chief, Population Activities Unit of UNECE.
"In this context, political declarations are not enough. There is a crucial
need to implement and monitor declarations and commitments, otherwise we run
the risk of missing a crucial opportunity in building the world of tomorrow"
said Mr. Garonna. Therefore, the UNECE is engaged in a process, which will
result in the adoption of a Regional Implementation Strategy for the International
Plan of Action on Ageing which will be agreed in Madrid. The high point of
this process will be the Ministerial Conference on Ageing in Berlin, Germany,
which will be held from 11 to 13 September this year. This conference will
provide important impetus for the efforts to implement the International Plan
of Action on Ageing and identify specific policy responses to the challenges
of ageing in the region.
For further information please contact:
Nikolai Botev
Population Activities Unit
Economic Analysis Division
UN Economic Commission for Europe
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 917 1324
Fax: (+41 22) 917 0101
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.unece.org/ead/age
Ref: ECE/GEN/02/04