Preparatory Committee for

Second World Assembly on Ageing

1^st Meeting (AM)                                

SECOND WORLD ASSEMBLY EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE NEW IDEAS TO CONFRONT PROBLEMS

OF POPULATION AGEING, PREPARATORY COMMITTEE TOLD

In less than two months, the Second World Assembly on Ageing would face the challenge of establishing a new international plan to update the 1982 Vienna Action Plan, the Commission for Social Development, acting as Preparatory Committee for the Assembly, was told as it opened its second session this morning. 

Briefing the Preparatory Committee on preparations for the Assembly on behalf of the host country, Juan Jose Lucas Gomenez, Minister of the Presidency of Spain, said the Assembly was expected to contribute new ideas and commitments to confront the problems of population ageing with greater responsibility and realism.  It would also underscore the need to take advantage of the wealth of experience and wisdom the ageing sector of the world’s population represented. 

He said the Assembly would take place from 8 to 12 April at Madrid’s Palacio Municipal de Congresos -– a modern installation with advanced technology.  It was propitious that his Government was hosting the event while holding the Presidency of the European Union.  That would increase its visibility. 

Parallel activities held in connection with the Assembly would include seminars, meetings, exhibitions and concerts, he said.  In the days preceding the Assembly, the World Forum of Non-governmental Organizations on Ageing would be held in Madrid.  A few days prior to the event, Spain would also welcome an important scientific meeting sponsored by the International Association of Gerontology in Valencia.

In his introductory statement, Johan Scholvinck, Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said that the degree to which the international community could deal with the problems of global ageing would largely depend on what was put in place now. With the convening of its second and final session, the Preparatory Committee had reached the end stage in its work.  The negotiations on the outcome text had advanced well, and organizational and procedural issues were being finalized in Madrid and New York.  Numerous meetings had taken place in preparation for the Assembly.  The Secretariat had organized a civil society consultation with developing country NGOs at the grass-roots level in November 2001 in Thailand.   Regional Commissions had also been active in their preparations for the Assembly. 

Concerning the United Nations Trust Fund for Ageing, he informed the Committee that contributions had been rather disappointing, with only one Member State having contributed so far.   The funds had been earmarked for the

participation of delegates from least developed countries, whose presence at the Assembly was crucial.  He hoped that additional contributions would be forthcoming for that important cause.  The information and promotion campaign, carried out by the Department of Public Information, had also been ongoing.  Two important goodwill Ambassadors had been appointed for the Assembly:  Infanta Cristina of Spain and Marcel Marceau, the well-known mime.  The host country agreement was to be signed today by Minister Juan Jose Lucas on behalf of Spain and Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Nitin Desai.

In other business this morning, the Preparatory Committee elected by acclamation Ivana Grollova of the Czech Republic as Vice-President with rapporteurial responsibilities and adopted its agenda for the session.  The Chairman of the Committee Felipe Paolillo (Uruguay) made a statement on organizational matters.

The Committee will hold its next formal meeting at a date to be announced.

Background

The Commission for Social Development, acting as the Preparatory Committee for the Second World Assembly on Ageing, will hold its second substantive session from 25 February to 1 March at United Nations Headquarters in New York.  The Preparatory Committee for the Second World Assembly on Ageing has met several times since its first session in February 2001.  That session suspended without resolving the organizational matters before it.  At its resumed first session in May 2001, however, the Preparatory Committee approved draft rules of procedure for the ageing summit, as well three draft decisions, including on the participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the event.  At another resumed session in December 2001, the Preparatory Committee approved the participation of 26 NGOs.

The second session of the Preparatory Committee is expected to finalize its work on the outcome document for the World Assembly, the 2002 International Plan of Action on Ageing.  The Committee is also expected to submit to the World Assembly a draft provisional agenda and organization of work.  It will consider applications for accreditation by NGOs and elect a Vice-Chairperson to fill an outstanding vacancy on its Bureau, which was postponed from previous sessions.

The ultimate goal of the Plan, which aims to respond to opportunities and challenges of individual and population ageing in the twenty-first century, is to promote the development of a society for all ages.  The draft Plan includes four dimensions:  individual lifelong development, multi-generational relationships, the interrelationship between population ageing and development, and the situation of older persons.  It also contains recommendations for action in three priority areas:  development for an ageing world, advancing health and well-being into old age, and ensuring an enabling and supportive environment.

The convening of the Second World Assembly will be devoted to an overall review of the outcome of the First World Assembly held in 1982 in Vienna.  The Madrid Assembly will adopt the 2002 International Plan of Action on Ageing in the context of “a society for all”, the theme of the 1999 International Year of Older Persons.  Marking the twentieth anniversary of the 1982 First World Assembly, the General Assembly decided to convene the Second World Assembly by its resolution 54/262 of 25 May 2000.

The World Assembly will recognize that the ageing of the global population is one of the defining characteristics of the twenty-first century.  Population ageing in the last 50 years is the result of the combination of increased life expectancy and low fertility rates.  As compared to 1982, when ageing was evident in developed countries, in 2002 the majority of older persons live in developing countries.  The rapid rate of ageing in developing countries poses a challenge to the institutional framework and capacity of many governments to sustain development and ensure the well-being of ageing societies.   

Reports before Preparatory Committee

The Preparatory Committee has before it a report of the Secretary-General on the abuse of older persons:  recognizing and responding to abuse of older persons in a global context, which is submitted in response to a request of the Preparatory Committee during its first substantive session.  The report is especially significant in that it recognizes for the first time the abuse of older persons as a human rights issue. 

According to the report (document E/CN.5/2002/PC/2), the abuse of older persons has gained public attention since the early 1980s.  Growing attention to human rights and increasing awareness of the rights of older men and women have led to viewing abuse of older persons as a human rights issue.  This framework is appropriate for drawing attention to the political issues of abuse of older persons and discrimination, challenging the abuse of economic and social means and entitlements of older persons and considering effective responses to abuse and violence.

The report also says that in the absence of an accepted universal definition of abuse of older persons, existing definitions reflect distinctions between acceptable and unacceptable interpersonal and communal behaviour in different societies.  Perceptions and definitions of abuse of older persons and violence vary between groups across and within societies.  One definition of abuse of older persons, which seeks to take variation into account, reads:  “a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person”. 

A typology that has gained ground in the study of abuse of older persons identifies four categories of abuse, the report continues.  The categories include physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial exploitation and neglect.  Other forms of abuse include sexual abuse, spousal abuse and medication abuse.  Further specific forms of abuse can be identified as abandonment or desertion, loss of respect, systemic abuse, economic violence, scapegoating, social or domestic violence, community violence, political violence and armed conflict, and HIV/AIDS- related violence. 

Detection of abuse of older persons is dependent on awareness and understanding as well as recognition of indicators and manifest effects of mistreatment, the report says.  Without awareness, only severe cases of abuse will command attention.  Abused older persons who do not utilize health care or social services are unlikely to be identified.  The abuse of older persons has been investigated in institutional and domestic settings.  Institutional abuse has long been associated with long-term institutional care.  Domestic abuse entails abuse by a family member, frequently the primary caregiver.  Domestic abuse is largely hidden, not easily recognized and grossly under-reported. 

In more developed settings, a variety of responses have been developed to address the various types of abuse of older persons, including public awareness programmes, new legislation, judicial action and intervention and prevention programmes, the report adds.  Specific measures include regulation of care, better identification of cases, care and treatment planning.  Principles called on to guide intervention include ethical concerns, human rights and values freedom, autonomy, justice, accountability, privacy and respect and dignity.

Advances in research and in action will not be achieved without political commitment and a solid foundation of human rights and legal support in favour of eliminating abuse of older persons, the report says.  Intergovernmental resolutions can provide a platform for global action and the basis for national initiatives to assure that older persons are protected from violence and abuse.

Also before the Preparatory Committee was a note by the Secretariat on the status of preparations for the Second World Assembly (document E/CN.5/2002/PC/3).  The report provides an update on the activities undertaken in 2001 by the secretariat for the World Assembly.  According to the report, the United Nations Trust Fund for Ageing has received a contribution from the Government of Sweden, earmarked to fund the participation of delegates from least developed countries.  The secretariat has received several inquiries from Member States regarding the availability of financial assistance to attend the Assembly. 

[The General Assembly, in its resolution 56/118 of December 2001, urged all Member States and other actors to contribute to the Trust Fund, in particular to facilitate the fullest participation of the least developed countries and to support public information activities to promote the Second World Assembly.] 

Regarding public information, the report says the Department of Public Information has been actively involved in carrying out an information campaign for the Second World Assembly.  Awareness of the Assembly has been building steadily with strong support and interest among NGOs as well as a number of key media organizations.

The Preparatory Committee also had before it the information campaign for the Second World Assembly on Ageing carried out by the Department of Public Information at the United Nations Secretariat (document E/CN.5/2002/PC/Misc.1).  According to the document, the promotional campaign of the Department of Public Information emphasizes that ageing is an issue that affects every society and the life of every individual.  Ageing of societies should be viewed as an achievement that presents new opportunities that must be exploited.  At a time when numerous other conferences have been taking place, the challenge of the promotional campaign is to first build awareness throughout the world that the World Assembly is taking place and then that a successful outcome can make a real contribution to the global society.

The campaign focuses on several issues, including projecting a strong message, based on the slogan “Building a society for all ages”; building awareness that the rapid ageing of the global population is a trend with implications for all people and all countries, and that over the next 50 years the developing world will face new and competing challenges; and building awareness that the work of the United Nations will have a concrete and beneficial impact for all society. 

Another challenge that the promotional campaign faces is that ageing is perceived primarily as a negative issue, particularly in youth-oriented developed countries.  For that reason, emphasis should be placed on the positive, stressing that ageing is an achievement of the twenty-first century and that actions can be taken, both on societal and individual levels, to take advantage of that development. 

The document also provides information on progress to date on communication activities and lists the information materials to be produced by the end of March 2002.  The document also presents information on special projects involving the United Nations information centres, saying that the work of the information centres will be essential to build worldwide awareness of the Assembly and the issues before it.  The United Nations information centre in Madrid, due to its location in the Assembly’s host country, has taken an especially active role.

The Preparatory Committee also had before it a letter dated 11 February 2002 from the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document E/CN.5/2002/5).  Attached to the letter is China’s position paper on ageing.

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