SILENCE BROKEN ON AGEING, IMPLICATIONS OF DEMOGRAPHIC REVOLUTION SAYS DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADDRESS

Press Release
DSG/SM/67
GA/9623

SILENCE BROKEN ON AGEING, IMPLICATIONS OF DEMOGRAPHIC REVOLUTION SAYS DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADDRESS

Following is the text of the address by Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette to the General Assembly as it met to consider the follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons (1999) in New York on 4 October:

I am very happy to be with you today as you gather to discuss the follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons. When he launched this International Year last October, the Secretary-General said we were in the midst of "a silent revolution". I am pleased to say that the silence has been broken.

Throughout the Year, 99 national committees and innumerable other actors from all sectors -- governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and the corporate world, not to mention the United Nations family -- convened conferences, organized campaigns, launched studies, held cultural events and created Internet pages, all in pursuit of one goal: highlighting the issue of ageing and raising awareness of the implications of the demographic revolution for individuals and societies all over the world. I would say that together they have done excellent work.

Although it was not news to anyone that our societies are ageing, it was necessary to put some basic facts into sharper focus. Globally, one out of every 10 persons is aged 60 or over; by 2020, the corresponding figure will be one out of every eight; and by 2150, every third person will be over 60.

Although statistics are often said to hide more than they reveal, these are by any standards startling numbers. They show beyond any doubt that, even if all other things remain equal, families, communities and societies will be dramatically different a century from now. And since we don’t know very much else about what tomorrow’s world will look like, it would indeed be foolish not to prepare for one of the transformations we do know we will have to face.

Another important fact the Year has brought to light is that although Europe is projected to remain the major area of the world affected by ageing, future changes will be more dramatic in the less developed regions. Moreover, these regions will be facing the ageing

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factor at the same time as they face a large increase in their total population, as well as the ongoing challenge of development. So, their strategies will have to be tailored accordingly. When it comes to ageing policies, one size does not fit all.

Developed countries will mainly have to address the special needs of the growing number of very old people in their populations, and to examine the appropriateness of current retirement policies and practices, income security provisions and pension schemes. Less developed countries will have to focus more on the link between ageing and development, the eradication of poverty in older populations, support to families, health care and human and institutional capacities to address the needs of older people.

The Year also helped put the ageing revolution in a more positive perspective. Extending life expectancy is, we have been reminded, something humanity has always striven for. Achieving it is truly one of the greatest successes of this century. With it naturally comes the ageing of societies. Like all structural changes, this poses a challenge. As long as we don’t cling to outdated ideas and habits, this challenge can be a great opportunity.

Of course, this will only be possible if the older generations participate fully in the life of their communities and countries. They have to be given the means to do so. As the International Plan of Action on Ageing said as long ago as 1982, "the transition to a positive, active and developmentally-oriented view of ageing may well result from action by elderly people themselves, through the sheer force of their growing number and influence."

This is an appealing idea. But we should not take it to indicate that everything will just fall into place once there are enough older people around. A lot of planning can be done, and must be done, for ageing to become a positive force.

The International Year has helped us to realize that, throughout the twentieth century, policies dealing with older persons have been developed in the context of young societies. In the future, we will have to keep ageing societies in mind when we formulate such policies, including policies that concern other age groups.

Now that we have collectively realized our dream of a longer life, we must adapt to that reality. When it comes to policies, infrastructure and the distribution of resources, governments will have to find ways of addressing different hopes and needs.

The financial security and health of older persons will continue to be among our foremost concerns. At the same time, we must look much further than this, and in particular at issues such as lifelong

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learning, the promotion of healthy lifestyles from early childhood, family networks, relations between generations, the special situation of women, labour policies and the link between ageing and socio-economic development.

In all these areas the investments made today will prevent imbalances and dependency later on, both for individuals and for ageing societies. I would even go so far as to say that, if they are well thought out, such investments will turn what could have been a burden into a valuable source of human, social and economic capital.

Well-thought-out investments imply concerted and planned action, rather than ad hoc interventions. The question of ageing has countless complex ramifications and must, therefore, be considered in the broadest context possible. The only way to address ageing seriously is to make it an integral part of all economic and social development programmes, be they local, national or international.

The United Nations is determined to play its part in ensuring that the International Year of Older Persons continues to bear fruit. As you know, we have undertaken a number of long-term initiatives, such as the Research Agenda on Ageing for the Twenty-first Century and a database for national programmes and policies that is accessible on the Internet. I invite all Member States to give their active support to these projects and to take advantage of them. Here I would like to thank all those who have made generous financial contributions.

The International Year of Older Persons was not supposed to be an end in itself, but a springboard. Like any springboard, it can turn a bit of impetus into a great leap forward. It can give us the boost we need to create, in the next century, a society that is fuller and richer, and which relies on the participation of every individual and meets the needs of all its members, regardless of age. Let us not fail to seize this opportunity.

I thank you and wish you every success in your work.

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