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in Asia and the Pacific, 1999 Social Development Division, United Nations ESCAP |
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7 April 2000, doc.E/ESCAP/1174
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Contents
- GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
- ACTION IN SPECIFIC AREAS
A. Social position of older persons
B. Older persons and the family
C. Health and nutrition
D. Housing, transportation and the built environment
E. Older persons and the market
F. Income security, maintenance and employment
G. Social services and the community
- COORDINATION AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION
- REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
I. SUMMARY
The General Assembly, in its resolution 47/5 of 16 October 1992, the annex to which contained the Proclamation on Ageing, decided to observe the year 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons. In its resolution 50/141 of 21 December 1995 on the International Year of Older Persons: towards a society for all ages, it invited regional commissions to bear in mind the goals of the Year when convening regional meetings in 1998 and 1999 at which to mark the Year and formulate action plans on ageing for the twenty-first century.
In response to the above mandate, ESCAP convened the Regional Meeting on a Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific in Macao in October 1998, which adopted the Macao Declaration and Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific. At its fifty-fifth session held in April 1999, the Commission endorsed the Macao Declaration and Plan of Action in its resolution 55/4 of 28 April 1999 - Towards a society for all ages: Macao Declaration and Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific.
The Commission urged all members and associate members to take early and effective action to implement the Plan of Action, and at the same time requested the Executive Secretary of ESCAP to provide full support and assistance to them in the establishment of specific time-bound national goals and targets and policies on ageing and the coordination of regional and subregional activities.
In implementation of Commission resolution 55/4, a set of guidelines on the implementation of the Macao Plan of Action has been prepared with the aim of assisting members and associate members in their effective implementation of the Macao Plan of Action.
The Commission is invited to consider and endorse the guidelines on the implementation of the Macao Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific as contained in the present document.
II. INTRODUCTION
1. The Commission, recognizing the importance of population ageing in Asia and the Pacific and acting in accordance with General Assembly resolution 50/141 of 21 December 1995 on the International Year of Older Persons: towards a society for all ages, in its resolution 54/5 of 22 April 1998, requested the Executive Secretary to convene a regional meeting to formulate a regional plan of action on ageing to mark the International Year of Older Persons. The Macao Declaration and Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific was adopted by the Regional Meeting on a Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific on 1 October 1998.
2. The Macao Plan of Action identifies the immediate tasks for Asia and the Pacific focusing on four main areas: understanding of the issues and implications of population ageing for society; the preparation of the population for an ageing process that is productive and fulfilling; the development of a service infrastructure and environment based on traditional and modern institutions; and the delivery of essential services needed by the growing number of older persons. The Plan of Action addresses seven major areas of concern relating to ageing and older persons: (a) the social position of older persons; (b) older persons and the family; (c) health and nutrition; (d) housing, transportation and the built environment; (e) older persons and the market; (f) income security, maintenance and employment; and (g) social services and the community. Specific actions are recommended for each of the seven major areas of concern.
3. The Commission, at its fifty-fifth session held in April 1999, endorsed the Macao Plan of Action. It requested the Executive Secretary of ESCAP to provide full support and assistance to members and associate members in the immediate implementation of the Plan, including the provision of technical assistance, in the establishment of specific time-bound national goals, targets and policies on ageing and the coordination of regional and subregional activities.
4. To assist the member countries in their implementation of the Plan, a set of guidelines on the implementation of the Plan has been prepared and further revised following the International Symposium on Planning Attainable Targets for Societies for All Ages, which was held in Macao from 26 to 29 October 1999. These guidelines detail the specific goals and targets that should be established at the country and regional levels and recommend dates or a time frame for initiation and review of action in achieving the targets.
5. The Plan of Action contains concise recommendations on addressing important issues relating to ageing and older persons, which represent the governments' desire to take concrete and appropriate action to mitigate the adverse impact of population ageing. The Plan takes note of the fact that issues related to population ageing may not be among the top priorities of governments. However, in view of the significance of the impact of population ageing, the Plan of Action and its recommendations underscore the governments' concern that it will place increasing pressure on the development process, especially on the social development of countries.
6. The Plan of Action indicates that individual countries will set their own goals and targets within the framework of the recommendations and implement them in accordance with their national circumstances. These recommendations need to be concretized and re-phrased as specific goals and targets for each country to adopt for implementation. A list of such goals and targets will help countries in their national planning and monitoring process.
7. At the regional level, the need to establish a mechanism to monitor progress made by countries in the implementation of the Plan of Action has been mandated by the Commission. The monitoring system requires specificity in the goals and targets, and a clear indication of the target date for the initiation of activities and achievement of such goals. The establishment of this set of goals and targets will assist the secretariat in reporting to the Commission periodically on the progress of implementation.
8. The proposed guidelines are in four sections. The first section deals with the general recommendations mentioned in the Plan of Action which are macro and systemic in nature. The second section examines the specific areas that affect ageing and older persons. The third section covers issues relating to coordination and resource mobilization. The fourth section deals with regional and international cooperation.