Draft first regional report on the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development

<strong>Draft</strong> <strong>first</strong> <strong>regional</strong> <strong>report</strong> on the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development
Chapter III
Against this backdrop, the establishment of a public long-term care policy, consistent with priority measure
31 of the Montevideo Consensus, is more important than ever. The reasons go beyond even demand, as care
for older persons can represent a growing contribution to employment in many countries’ economies. 71 In
addition, the almost complete lack of provision for this type of care in social protection systems may mean
that older persons may not receive the help they need in an appropriate, accessible and timely manner. The
result is that a considerable percentage of the population is excluded from social services, and their assets
and income may be jeopardized as they seek help to carry out basic activities of daily living.
A failure to capitalize on the current situation and make changes will affect the possibilities for providing
universal social protection. Unlike in 2013, when the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development
was adopted, there is now a legally binding instrument that facilitates its implementation. The Inter-American
Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons facilitates the standardization of laws, policies
and practices in States and, at the same time, helps to close gaps in the protection and enforcement of this
group’s human rights. It also provides common definitions with a view to conceptualizing human rights in
the context of an ageing population, as well as the opportunity to bring about a paradigm shift. Beyond the
legal obligations it establishes, the Convention is an instrument for promoting effective public policies and a
sound tool for implementing human rights of older persons by raising awareness at the national level of the
responsibilities in respect of those rights.
Lastly, a field that has not been developed in the same way as others analysed in this section is palliative
care. Despite the pressing need for it, there remains much to be done. Palliative care consists of the provision
of the most basic care services. However, discrimination against older persons has so entrenched non-respect
of their as dignity as human beings that even they see it as natural and expect no other treatment in old
age. Changing this perception of old age is of paramount importance to ensure that older persons can live
autonomously until the time of death, by respecting their wishes with regard to how they die and providing
all necessary support for a dignified death.
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For example, taking into account population ageing and the expected decline in the availability of family caregivers, it is estimated that demand for long-term care
in OECD countries will require a doubling of the number of long-term care workers as a percentage of the active population by 2050 (Colombo and others, 2011).
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