DRAFTS ON INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF OLDER PERSONS, PLAN OF ACTION ON AGEING INTRODUCED IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Press Release
SOC/4442
DRAFTS ON INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF OLDER PERSONS, PLAN OF ACTION ON AGEING INTRODUCED IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
19980219 The Secretary-General would be asked to explore ways to strengthen the Secretariat's capacity to review the implementation of the 1982 International Plan of Action on Ageing, by the terms of a draft decision introduced this morning in the Commission for Social Development.By other terms of the draft (document E/CN.5/1998/L.4), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs would be invited to draw up proposals on developing an Internet database on policies and programmes on ageing, for consideration by the Commission. The Department would also be asked to explore, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the feasibility of including an ageing-related development index in the Human Development Report.
The Secretary-General would be requested to submit to the Commission, at its next session, a report on actions taken to implement the present decision and on possible options for improving the reliability and validity of the review and appraisal exercise. The Commission would emphasize the importance of improving data collection in the field of ageing to the review and appraisal exercise and stress the need for a more focused method of monitoring the implementation of the Plan of Action. It would also stress the need to introduce a gender perspective into the review and appraisal process.
The text, which is contained in document E/CN.5/1998/L.4, was introduced by the Commission's Chairman, Aurelio Fernandez (Spain).
By a second draft decision introduced this morning (document E/CN.5/1998/L.5), the Commission would recommend that the Economic and Social Council rename the support group assisting in preparations for the International Year of Older Persons (1999) as the Consultative Group for the International Year of Older Persons, while keeping its informal and open-ended nature.
The Commission would decide that the group, in addition to its activities promoting exchange of information on the preparations for the Year, would also serve as an informal consultative forum for discussing national and international initiatives to lay the groundwork for the Commission's discussion of the Year at its next session.
Social Development Commission - 2 - Press Release SOC/4442 12th Meeting (AM) 19 February 1998
Introducing the draft, Julia Tavares de Alvarez (Dominican Republic), who had coordinated the ad hoc support group with Mr. Fernandez, said the group's role should be broadened so it would be better able to assist the Commission in its work next year.
The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 20 February, to consider the provisional agenda for its next session.
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