Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: - HelpAge International

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Chapter 2: A fresh look at evidence – A vital role in society Political contributions: Voting and decision-making Population ageing means that in societies with democratic electoral systems, older generations constitute an increasing proportion of voters. This is the case even in developing countries with still “young” populations, because a relatively high proportion of the young population is not old enough to vote. For example, in Egypt, in 2010, people aged 60 and over made up 8 per cent of the total population but accounted for 13.6 per cent of the electorate. 19 In some of the world’s “oldest” countries, the proportion of older voters is increasing dramatically. In Japan, for example, 34 per cent of the total population will be aged 60 in 2020, making up more than 40 per cent of the electorate. 20 According to the United States Census Bureau, over 70 per cent of eligible voters between the ages of 65 and 74 voted in the 2008 elections. 21 By comparison, just over 50 per cent of Americans aged 25 to 45 voted. 22 These trends in the electorate could result in important economic and social changes. For example, pressure for social expenditure in areas that are particularly relevant to older age groups might increase and with it, competition for resources and public goods between different generations. In the Peru presidential elections in 2011, for example, the promise of a universal pension was considered as a key issue that led to the election of the President. 23 On the other hand, older voters do not necessarily act with only their self-interest in mind, as is shown in an analysis of attitudes towards publicly funded childcare in 21 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. 24 Older people are not only expressing their political views through voting. Increasingly, they are forming their own associations to provide mutual support and a basis for lobbying. In developed countries, in particular, older people have formed powerful lobbying groups, including political parties, pressure groups and grassroots organizations. In Germany, for example, the political party Die Grauen – Graue Panther, initially formed specifically to advocate for older people, was dissolved and in 2008 the party Die Grauen – Generationspartei was established with a broader mandate, advocating for a reciprocal recognition of contributions of younger and older generations. In the United States, AARP, which has more than 37 million members, is a not-for-profit organization advocating for the well-being of the over-50s. In developing countries, too, more older people are forming their own associations with formal membership. The associations help members to access microcredit, business loans and job training. They organize health checks, link to local health services and provide training in community-based home care. They also reduce isolation and create social support networks. 25 In Latin America and the Caribbean, a number of older persons’ Age Demands Action campaign Since 2007, older persons around the world have been taking part in the Age Demands Action campaign, coordinated by HelpAge International, to call for changes from their governments to end discrimination in older age. Demands focus on the right to a secure income, the right to health, the right to be protected from neglect or violence, the right to access work and decent working conditions and the right to a livelihood. In 2011, more than 60,000 older people in 59 countries took part in Age Demands Action. In many cases, campaigners are supported by civil society organizations. More than 150 organizations were involved in 2011, of which 52 were part of the HelpAge International network. The campaign contributed to tangible improvements, ranging from discounted fares on major train and bus routes in Pakistan, to a new senior citizens’ allowance for people over 80 in Sri Lanka and an increased cash transfer with expanded coverage benefiting more older Kenyans. Other success stories include a new national ageing policy in Fiji, health insurance identity cards for older people living in internally displaced persons’ camps in Darfur, Sudan, and a new social pension in the Philippines. In Peru, the campaign was part of the successful push for a non-contributory pension for everyone over 65. It is estimated that by the end of 2012, at least 10.5 million older people will have benefited from new policies or changes to policies that have occurred as a result of the campaign. Campaign action has traditionally peaked on or around 1 October, the International Day of Older Persons. However, as the campaign has developed, older people have started using other key dates to remind politicians of their pledges. In 2012, action took place on World Health Day (7 April) and World Elder Abuse Day (15 June). Source: Health Poverty Action, “Assessing the impact of HelpAge International’s ‘Age Demands Action’ Campaign”, evaluation report prepared for HelpAge International, March 2012, www.agedemandsaction.org 38 Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge
Older people in the Philippines march through the streets of Manila to call for a social pension as part of the Age Demands Action campaign. COSE movements helped to win the passage of legislation in their favour, including in Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. In the past 10 years, more older people’s associations have taken up older citizens’ monitoring to hold their governments to account for the commitments they had made in adopting the Madrid Plan. 26 Groups of older people, with support from an NGO, learn about their human rights and entitlements, gather evidence of their access to entitlements and services, and use it to lobby policymakers and service providers for improvements. By 2011, 1,250 older people’s associations were involved in older citizens’ monitoring programmes in 23 countries. 27 Many link their activities to the global Age Demands Action campaign to advocate for older people’s rights at local, national, regional and international levels. In 2011, older people’s groups in 59 countries took part in this campaign (see box on page 38). Government responses Civic and cultural programmes help to combat social isolation and support empowerment. In the People’s Republic of China, older persons are active through the Chinese Older Persons’ Chorus Festival and national associations of senior citizens. In 2009, China also organized the First National Sports Meeting for the Elderly, and in 2008, three ministries sponsored Olympic Games for older persons. In Hungary, since 2006 the Award for the Elderly has honoured older persons for exceptional achievements. Other examples include the South Africa Older People’s Forum in 2009/10 and the Golden Games Programme organized in 2006 by the South African Government. Many of these activities support the participation of older persons in various ways, short-term as well as long-term. Often they contribute to older persons’ wellbeing and health, for example, by encouraging them to be physically active and also by facilitating social interaction at various events. The annual International Day of Older Persons is celebrated by many countries and embraces older persons’ participation and visibility. In addition to these one-off or annual programmes, some governments provide for the establishment of senior citizens’ centres or clubs. Japan, for example, provides government subsidies for senior citizens’ clubs. Some countries organize national meetings of such groups, mostly in collaboration with civil society organizations. An example of this is the Third National Encounter of Older Persons’ Organizations in Uruguay in 2010. Voices of older persons Older persons who took part in consultations for this report agreed that opportunities for participating in family, community and social activities had increased for them. In particular, they pointed out that older people’s associations were an important mechanism for participating in society. Leaders of older people’s associations regularly consulted members, creating a channel of communication between older persons and government. Governments were increasingly consulting older people’s associations on issues affecting older age groups, they said. The participants acknowledged the importance of voting in elections and, especially in those countries where older persons constitute an increasing proportion of the electorate, they were aware of their increasing political power. 39
Page 1 and 2: Ageing in the Twenty-First Century:
Page 3 and 4: Ageing in the Twenty-First Century:
Page 5 and 6: Contents 6 List of abbreviations 7
Page 7 and 8: Acknowledgements Acknowledgements O
Page 9 and 10: Preface This is a special year for
Page 11 and 12: HelpAge International Foreword Fore
Page 13 and 14: In 1950, there were 205 million per
Page 15 and 16: The way forward In many parts of th
Page 17 and 18: Chapter 1 of the report provides an
Page 19 and 20: Chapter 1: Setting the scene In 195
Page 21 and 22: Discussions with older people in So
Page 23 and 24: There are also marked sub-regional
Page 25 and 26: The difference between current life
Page 27 and 28: The implications of increasing life
Page 29 and 30: The challenges of population ageing
Page 31 and 32: The response: The Madrid Internatio
Page 33 and 34: When the law was passed we started
Page 35 and 36: Chapter 2: A fresh look at evidence
Page 37: I take care of eight grandchildren
Page 41 and 42: Income security in old age The chal
Page 43 and 44: A major challenge in interpreting p
Page 45 and 46: social (non-contributory) pensions
Page 47 and 48: The global financial and economic c
Page 49 and 50: Table 2: Selection of social pensio
Page 51 and 52: South Africa’s Old Age Pension co
Page 53 and 54: I’m lucky to have a large pension
Page 55 and 56: Antonio Olmos/HelpAge International
Page 57 and 58: Computer training in Ireland. Rapid
Page 59 and 60: Transforming lives through literacy
Page 61 and 62: The rise of non-communicable diseas
Page 63 and 64: Dementia - a global concern Dementi
Page 65 and 66: Risk factors for chronic diseases T
Page 67 and 68: Many of the determinants of poor he
Page 69 and 70: Hospital care in Haiti. Older peopl
Page 71 and 72: Living longer with HIV Among infect
Page 73 and 74: Training of care providers and heal
Page 75 and 76: Age-friendly environments “Whatev
Page 77 and 78: Fixed-rate bus fares for people age
Page 79 and 80: In the UK, 45 per cent of 55-75 yea
Page 81 and 82: Workers in rural informal labour fo
Page 83 and 84: Urban life also has negative aspect
Page 85 and 86: Ageing and environmental change Cli
Page 87 and 88: A refugee in Dadaab, Kenya. A surve
Page 89 and 90:
Global response In the past 10 year
Page 91 and 92:
In Myanmar, volunteers from older p
Page 93 and 94:
I give my mother my love “My moth
Page 95 and 96:
Exposing elder abuse and discrimina
Page 97 and 98:
Government response Few countries h
Page 99 and 100:
Teresa Minja of the Tanzania Social
Page 101 and 102:
On a different yet equally importan
Page 103 and 104:
News, television, film and advertis
Page 105 and 106:
Chapter 3: A review of progress The
Page 107 and 108:
At least 17 countries have approved
Page 109 and 110:
Table 2: Examples of surveys and re
Page 111 and 112:
In a few countries, including the D
Page 113 and 114:
South Africa’s National Archives
Page 115 and 116:
Residents and staff of a care home
Page 117 and 118:
Regional preparations for the secon
Page 119 and 120:
Regional Strategy for Implementatio
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Since 2011, Peru’s National Solid
Page 123 and 124:
A great-grandmother in Viet Nam, wh
Page 125 and 126:
In preparation for an analysis of p
Page 127 and 128:
More specific recommendations are:
Page 129 and 130:
service policies across sectors and
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In some countries, programmes to su
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Chapter 4: The voices of older pers
Page 135 and 136:
Older persons’ responses to the M
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Health in older age Overall, partic
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In Kyrgyzstan, older people raised
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Some also refer to the shifting rel
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“Older people were also invited t
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“Older women can do many things.
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“Pension fund officers treat olde
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“In the past there was only one h
Page 151 and 152:
“People with mental disorders are
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In various aspects of daily life, o
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Another barrier to tackling abuse -
Page 157 and 158:
Based on these recommendations, a f
Page 159 and 160:
Chapter 5: The way forward “Older
Page 161 and 162:
concern in developed countries, whi
Page 163 and 164:
Capacity development for an ageing
Page 165 and 166:
Specific actions according to the P
Page 167 and 168:
Percentage of total population aged
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
7. Unemployment rate of older perso
Page 181 and 182:
17. Number and proportion of public
Page 183 and 184:
In most countries, it proved feasib
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30. OECD, Pensions at a Glance 2009
Page 187 and 188:
156. UNAIDS, Together We Will End A
Page 189 and 190:
286. US States Government Accountab
Page 191 and 192:
UNFPA, the United Nations Populatio
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Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: - HelpAge International

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