Mercy Global Concern - 2002
"BUILDING A SOCIETY FOR ALL AGES"
In April 2002 the Second World Assembly on Ageing will take place
in Madrid, Spain. The World is getting older and in the next 50
years, the number of older persons will nearly quadruple, growing
from about 60 million to almost 2 billion people. Today, one in
every ten persons, is sixty years and older. By 2050, one out
of every five will be an older person, and by 2150, one third
of the people in the world are expected to be 60 years of age
or older.
Recently, Kofi Annan the secretary general of the United Nations
had this to say on ageing...
"We need a dramatic reorientation of attitudes, ideas,
and policies towards older people. Today rigid notions of 'age'
and 'ageing' are unacceptable. Older people must be able to
participate fully in the decisions affecting their lives. And
all of us must recognize how trends such as globalization, urbanization
and migration, as well as health crises such as HIV/AIDS epidemic,
affect the place of older persons in society."
The ageing of the World's population is a matter of concern for
everyone- all generations in all countries, both developing and
developed. In some developed countries and countries with economies
in transition, birth rates have fallen below replacement levels,
and the number of older persons now exceeds the number of children.
In the decades to come, the increase in the number of older persons
will be greatest in developing countries, where the increase in
the older population is expected to quadruple over the next 50
years. This transformation in the makeup of the population will
have profound consequences on every aspect of life - for individuals
and for societies.
Developing countries will face the most difficult resource challenge,
as they are forced to deal with the development and population
ageing at the same time. But as people live longer, healthier
and more active lives, an ageing population also offers opportunities
that must be harnessed.
WHY A WORLD ASEMBLY?
 This
is not the first time that the international community has examined
the challenges of individual and population ageing. In 1982, the
first world assembly on ageing took place in Vienna. Countries
adopted the International Plan of Action on Ageing at that conference,
which has guided thinking and action on ageing over the past 20
years. The Plan recommended a variety of initiatives in employment
and income security, health, housing, education and social welfare.
Now, 20 years later, as the world faces the profound ageing of
its population, the Second World Assembly on Ageing is being held
to help governments and societies plan policies that will ensure
that older persons can continue to contribute to society in a
meaningful way.
The most comprehensive and up to date statistics on global population
ageing were announced on February 28th at the United
Nations Headquarters in New York. The statistics produced by the
Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(DESA), includes key data and indicators and is an important contribution
to the preparations for the Second World Assembly on Ageing to
be held in Madrid from 8-12 April 2002.
Today, one of every 10 persons is 60- years- old or over, totaling
629 million people worldwide. By 2050, the United Nations projects
that one of every five persons will be 60 or older and that by
2150 this ratio will be one in every three persons. By 2050, the
actual number of people over the age of 60 is projected to be
almost 2 billion, at which point the population of older persons
will outnumber children (0-14).
The UN statistics also indicate that the older population is
itself ageing. Currently, the oldest old, those 80 years or older,
make up 12 per cent of the population over sixty. In fact, it
is this segment that is the fastest growing of the older population.
It is estimated that by 2050, 21 percent of the older population
will be aged 80 years or older and it is projected that the number
of centenarians, people aged 100 years or older, will increase
15-fold from approximately 210,000 in 2002 to 3.2 million people
by 2050.
What the statistics also reveal is that the world has experienced
dramatic improvements in terms of longevity. Life expectancy at
birth has climbed about 20 years since 1950, to its current level
of 66 years. Of those surviving to age 60 men can expect to live
another 17 years and women and an additional 20 years. But large
differences levels exist between countries. In the least developed
countries, men reaching 60 can expect only 15 more years and women
16 years. In the more developed regions, life expectancy is much
higher.
The majority of older persons are women. Worldwide, there are
81 men aged 60 or over for every 100 women, and among the oldest
old, there are 53 men for every 100 women. The impact of demographic
ageing is visible in the potential support ratio. Between 2002
and 2050, the potential support ratio will decline from five to
two working age persons, per each older in more developed regions
and an even larger fraction in less developed regions, from 12
to five. These dramatic demographic changes will affect social
security schemes, particularly traditional systems in which current
workers pay for benefits of current retirees.
The final document in preparation for the Madrid Conference is
still on hold. The European Union wants to maintain a "human
rights" approach to ageing while the US delegation tried
to delete any "rights" language in the document. The
group of 77 and China struggled to shape the document in ways
that would speak to the needs of poorer and developing countries.
We will have to await the World Conference in Madrid for the
final outcome!
Prepared by Deirdre Mullan RSM
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