SPEAKERS IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REAFFIRM GOALS OF 2002 MADRID PLAN ON INDIVIDUAL, POPULATION AGEING

Commission for Social Development                          

Forty-second Session                                       

8^th & 9^th Meetings (AM & PM)                                 

SPEAKERS IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REAFFIRM GOALS

OF 2002 MADRID PLAN ON INDIVIDUAL, POPULATION AGEING

As the world faced a demographic revolution of epic proportion and unknown outcomes, and with elderly populations becoming more marginalized, the Commission for Social Development today, taking up the review and appraisal of the 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, discussed how governments could tailor their development strategies to include an ageing perspective.

As the Commission concluded its general discussion on the situation of social groups, speakers agreed that the Madrid Plan of Action was a practical tool to assist policy-makers in focusing on the key priorities associated with individual and population ageing.  It called for changes in attitude, policies and practices at all levels in all sectors to realize the enormous potential of ageing in the twenty-first century.  Speakers reaffirmed the Plan’s overall goal of ensuring that persons everywhere could age with security and dignity.

During a special panel discussion in the afternoon, several policy experts echoed the views expressed by delegations, underscoring how a “bottom-up” or participatory approach could help generate ageing-friendly social policies.

Briefing the Commission on her organization’s activities in the field, a representative of HelpAge Internaitonal said that while many felt the bottom-up approach was “too messy”, broad participation of stakeholders was the best way to bring older people into the development process and move the process forward, particularly regarding the formulation of national policies.  Moreover, the participatory approach facilitated the participation of older people living in poverty, which was essential for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and other international development objectives.

Describing his national experience, the Inspector General of Guinea’s Ministry of Planning told the Commission how Guinea had used the participatory approach in drafting its poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP).  It had followed that approach in order to improve the decision-making process, provide new impetus to the bottom-up approach and ensure continuity.  A lecturer from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica said that the Department of Sociology and Social Works had used the bottom-up approach in carrying out a social assessment on youth parenting, which had been helpful during the Government’s compilation of Jamaica’s annual Survey of Living Conditions.

In the morning discussion, several speakers highlighted the need to protect the family as the most basic social unit in an increasingly challenging environment.  Pakistan’s representative noted that, in a fast-paced world, it was necessary to ensure that the family -- the bedrock of emotional and psychological support for all humankind -- continued to flourish.  In that regard, she said the family unit required greater attention at both national and international levels.

Given the rapid erosion of family values and the gradual surrender of the family’s socialization role, the international community would have to step up efforts to promote and protect it, Ghana’s representative said.  Strong kinship ties that once served as pillars of emotional, financial and social support were rapidly crumbling, in the face of dire needs for survival.  Unemployment, disagreements over family maintenance and other economic stresses had discouraged family life and sometimes threatened the very existence of the family system, she said.

Addressing the Commission during the general discussion were the representatives of the Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Morocco, Viet Nam, Belarus, Tunisia, Cameroon, Argentina and Thailand.

Making presentations at this afternoon’s panel discussion were Dia Aboubacar, Inspector General, Ministry of Planning of Guinea; Heather Ricketts, Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Social Works, University of the West Indies, Jamaica; and Amanda Heslop, Research Manager, HelpAge International, United Kingdom

Representatives of Jamaica, Ireland (on behalf of the European Union) and Senegal participated in the interactive dialogue that followed.

Non-governmental organizations participating in the panel were representatives from New Humanity, the World Family Organization, the Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries, the International Federation on Ageing and HelpAge International.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 10 February, to begin its discussion on emerging issues with a discussion on international migration.

Background

The Commission for Social Development met this morning to continue its forty-second session.  It was expected to continue and conclude its consideration and review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of special groups.  [For further information on the session, see Press Release SOC/4636 of 3 February 2004.]

Statements

KIM HEONJOO, Ministry for Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea, said his country had recently enhanced its social welfare policies -– moving beyond providing services and protection mainly for specific groups like women, children and the elderly -– and was now strongly committed to family-centred social development strategies.  And while the Republic of Korea had considered the family its “essential building block” for thousands of years, as times changed so had the perception that families were wholly self-sustaining.  In recent years, it had become clear that families at risk, dealing with divorce or supporting the needs of elderly relatives, among others, needed support.  Family members at risk needed intervention and protection, he added.

The Government recognized, therefore, that a family-centred perspective was required in order for the country to meet its myriad social development needs.  Such a proactive approach, he said, had led to the enactment of the Basic Act on Health and Families at the beginning of the year.  In accordance with that Act, the Government was expected to formulate, implement, review and update a nationwide action plan for families every five years.  Family-support centres would soon be established in each administrative district to provide education and counselling, as well as formulate programmes to support health families.

He said his country would celebrate Family Day on 15 May with a variety of events, including academic and cultural gatherings that would be held with the participation of many civic groups.  He went on to express his county’s support for the Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and then turning to another special group -– the elderly -– said that the Republic of Korea was an ageing society, and that the impact of the phenomenon had touched every sector of life.  The Government valued the 2002 Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing and, in that spirit, had established a special office under the President to coordinate programmes and policies to keep pace with the needs of that growing sector.

LUIS GALLEGOS (Ecuador) noted that, despite the widely reported thinking on the subject, the privatization of financial markets had not played a stabilizing role and economic efficiency had not solved social problems.  The situation in Latin America had put an end to that myth.  One could not separate economic policies from a social context.  Development in changing societies would necessitate a convergence of policies on economic growth, social investment, and the strengthening of the public and private sectors.  The State had a fundamental role to play in that area and had to act as a regulator for the delivery of basic social services.

To that end, he said, States had to strengthen tax systems, rationalize the allocation of resources and establish accountability mechanisms.  Developing countries’ efforts to fight corruption had to be accompanied by developed countries’ efforts to eliminate foreign subsidies and remove external debt to achieve a more equitable international trade regime.

Turning to the issue of migration, he said the treatment of that phenomenon meant that dialogue and cooperation at the subregional and regional level would need to be strengthened.  Ecuador was pleased with the entry into force of the Convention on the Protection of Migrants.  He was disturbed, however, that very few countries had ratified such an important instrument.  Human rights were universal and should not be restricted under any condition.  On another issue, he said most persons with disabilities lived in poverty with no access to social services, such as education or health care.  In that context, he stressed the need to develop a convention that guaranteed the rights of people with disabilities.  Political will was needed to ensure that disabled persons were protected by binding principles at the universal level.

MOHAMED BENNOUNA (Morocco) said that at Copenhagen the international community had agreed to work together to address a variety of social challenges, including poverty, unemployment, diseases and pandemics, and the need to provide universal education.  At the same time, global actors had decided that parity, equity, human rights and gender equality were the only ways to achieve the commitments made at that historic international conference.  All States must recommit themselves to meet the timetables that had been set at Copenhagen and the other major United Nations meetings by putting humankind at the centre of all development efforts.

Morocco, he continued, had focused on human rights and socio-economic development as a central priority.  It was also aware that development could only truly materialize with the full participation of women.  With that in mind, a law to integrate women into the country’s decision-making process had been enacted in 1998.  Another law on the family, further formalizing and enhancing equality between men and women, had been adopted just a few days ago.

He said that, like many countries, Morocco’s introduction of structural adjustment policies had led to some deficits in the provision of social services.  The Government had stepped in and had established a “20/20 Initiative”, which divided evenly between the State and foreign development partners.  On improving the relevance of the public sector, he said Morocco believed that if the criteria for ensuring the success of public services were accessibility, quality and productivity, then such services should also have a clear mandate and sufficient funds, so that hoped-for objectives could be achieved.  Public service sectors should also undergo regular reviews in order to ensure transparency and accountability.  Morocco had initiated broad reform of the sector, which included upgrading human resources management with training programmes, education and other initiatives, he added.

VU ANH QUANG (Viet Nam) said the international community should devote more resources for the social integration of the most vulnerable people.  He welcomed the quality of the reports submitted by the Secretary-General on the topics before the Commission, as they were useful documents for discussion.  Due to the country’s rapid economic growth, the Government of Viet Nam had been able to greatly strengthen its social services.  The progress achieved had helped to establish more favourable conditions and to protect the rights of social groups.

The family was the basic cell of society and was the place where the process of social integration began, he continued.  Viet Nam had strengthened the family component in its national development programmes, including targeted measures for poor and disadvantaged families in rural and mountainous regions and awareness-raising campaigns for families.  Viet Nam welcomed preparations for the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family.  It was an excellent opportunity to step up coordination between the public sector and civil society to improve programmes for families.

He said that some 5 million people, or 6 per cent of the population, had disabilities in Viet Nam, many as a result of war.  Older persons, persons with disabilities and orphans received special benefits.  A decree on persons with disabilities had reaffirmed the principle of equality and non-discrimination against persons with disabilities.  Businesses were required to hire a certain number of disabled persons or contribute part of their profits to programmes to assist the disabled.  Viet Nam supported the draft Supplement to the Standard Rules and supported the drafting of an international convention on persons with disabilities.

Continuing, he said older persons made up some 8 million, or 10 per cent, of the population.  That number could reach 13 per cent in 2010.  Older persons were respected in society and activly contributed to economic life and cultural promotion.  The Vietnamese association of older persons was an active association with some 6.4 million members at present.  Measures for older peons had been stepped up and integrated into social programmes, including programmes to alleviate poverty.  Social groups still faced great difficulties, however.  Many older persons lived in rural regions.

ALEG IVANOU (Belarus) said that in order to remain a relevant, valuable tool for the international community, the Commission itself should be able to adapt and modify its working methods and processes as world social situations underwent dramatic changes in the coming years.  Belarus agreed with many of the recommendations on that matter laid out in the Secretary-General’s report.  He added that the Commission could strengthen the working methods, perhaps by holding a sessional high-level dialogue on identified priority themes.  Turning to the upcoming tenth anniversary of the International Year of The Family, he said that his country’s policies focused, among other things, on equality of men and women in distribution of family responsibilities, and promoting and protection of the rights of children.  It would also establish policies targeting social assistance and broadening the range of such services in the future.

Belarus shared the opinion of a number of States that it was necessary to continue to examine the Standard Rules on persons with disabilities, so that recommendations would be more practical and realistic.  Equal rights and equal participation of disabled persons were essential policies for the Government of Belarus.  Policies and programmes aimed to eliminate barriers and establish an effective system of social service through their rehabilitation.  Specific programmes dealt with disabled children, particularly children of Chernobyl and orphans.  He added that successful implementation of the 2002 Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing depended equally on nation plans and programmes, as well as on all States meeting the international commitments.

Mr. ZRIBI (Tunisia) said the comprehensive approach adopted by his country to deal with social policy had been designed to guarantee the fair distribution of development benefits and human rights among all people.  By carrying out the goals set by various United Nations conferences and international instruments, Tunisia had been able to create a vibrant social experience for its people.  Structural reform programmes to improve the effectiveness of the public sector had begun in 1997 and had included the privatization of some public institutions.  Social dialogue, which stressed the principle of shared sacrifices, had enabled Tunisia to overcome many obstacles.  The public sector had witnessed many reforms, such as the decentralization of administrative services.  As the nucleus of every society, Tunisian families benefited from many social programmes.

Guided by numerous international instruments, and believing that opportunities must be accessible to all peoples, Tunisia had also endeavoured to achieve equal opportunities for the disabled, he said.  Measures had been taken to ensure for the disabled in the areas of health care, rehabilitation, employment, transport, health and recreation.  There was, however, a need to address the needs of disabled persons in rural areas.  He stressed the need to improve the scientific and technical abilities of disabled persons.  In that regard, the Government had established day centres to enhance disabled vocational competencies.

IYA TIDJANI (Cameroon) said his Government had recognized that ensuring comprehensive and sustainable development was an essential precondition for the betterment of all sectors of society, including seniors, women, disabled persons and children.  Cameroon had, therefore, developed policies along those lines.  On the elderly, efforts focused on health, education and employment.  Non-discrimination, flexible tax schemes, and easy access to credit were some highlights of the initiatives already in place.  The country’s ongoing review of its 1983 act on the protection of disabled persons had yielded overall effective policies in that area, he continued.

Along those lines, Cameroon was also pleased with the Secretary-Genera’s proposals on persons with disabilities, and had been equally pleased with ongoing negotiations on an important international convention on the protection of such persons.  On the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, he said that regarding family matters the Government had taken a participatory approach, involving organizations, government ministries and civil actors.  A week of celebrations would mark the anniversary, with workshops and brainstorming sessions on how to reinvigorate the family unit in Cameroon.

MARY IMELDA AMADU (Ghana) said the family continued to be the nucleus of society and an important focus in the Government’s policy and development objectives.  Numerous challenges to family life had emerged, however.  A lack of access to basic necessitates in rural areas had acted as a “push” factor for youth, who had drifted to big cities and towns in search of better life opportunities.  The family was gradually surrendering its important socialization role.  Strong kinship ties that once served as pillars of emotional, financial and social support were rapidly crumbling, in the face of dire needs for survival and prestige of individual members.

Economic pressures on spouses and parents had also accelerated the deterioration of family life, she said.  Unemployment, inadequate family budget, disagreement over family maintenance and other economic stresses had discouraged family life and sometimes threatened the very existence of the family system.  In that regard, national institutions had become lead actors in formulating, implementing and monitoring family polices.  Studies were being taken to assess the needs of families, including domestic child trafficking and “streetism”.  Given the rapid rate at which family values were being eroded, she said it was important for the international community to step up efforts to protect and promote the family.

Regarding persons with disabilities, she said Ghana had made concerted efforts in the last decade towards the realization of the provisions of the Standard Rules.  Despite modest achievements, numerous challenges remained.  In particular, she noted the need to make Ghana’s physical and social infrastructure more disability friendly.  One of the country’s top priorities was the establishment in each of the 10 regions of a multi-purpose Resource Centre to provide business advice, marketing opportunities and other health and educational support to persons with disabilities.

In the absence of formalized institutional care and bureaucratic support for the needs of older persons, family members had been the main source of care, she said.  With the increase in migration from rural to urban areas and abroad, many older persons had lost the support provided by families.  Many older persons in Ghana faced all forms of abuse, lived in poverty, loneliness, poor health and neglect.  Prior to drafting the comprehensive national policy on ageing, Ghana’s national day had been declared Senior Citizens Day.  While awaiting the adoption of a formal policy, the Government would continue to collaborate with civil society actors to improve the situation of elderly persons.

DOMINGO CULLEN (Argentina) said that the upcoming tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family offered the chance to carry out an evaluation of progress that had been achieved nationally, regionally and globally.  Argentina believed that strengthening the family would help strengthen the social-welfare of States at all levels.  As families were the centre of a nation’s culture and identity, States should work to ensure equality between men and women, protection and promotion of the rights of children, elderly and disabled, and shared responsibility of men and women in educating and raising their children.

He stressed that unemployment, drugs and alcohol, and domestic violence were having an increasingly negative affect on families.  Argentina’s Government had, therefore, undertaken a series of actions to protect the family unit characterized by a preventive approach, which required the participation of civil society and families themselves, as well as relevant government ministries.  Argentina also supported all initiatives that would place the family at the heart of all United Nations socio-economic development actions and hoped such positive programmes, initiatives and interest would extend well beyond the tenth anniversary of the International Year.

He went on to say that Argentina had joined the Inter-American convention aimed at eliminating discrimination against disabled persons.  The country’s Constitution guaranteed their rights, and the Government had created policies for the establishment of the follow-up and implementation of the Convention.  Argentina would continue to press for the final elaboration of an international instrument, currently under way within the United Nations system.  Argentina was in favour of updating the Standard Rules, as long as such action did not undercut or delay negations of a human-rights centred convention.  Argentina was committed to improving the situation of older persons, he added.  It agreed with the proposals in the Secretary-General’s report, particularly on greater international support and commitment to help countries to implement and review the Madrid Plan of Action.

LAXANACHANTORN LAOHAPHAN (Thailand) said the family was the basic unit of society and played a crucial role in socio-economic development.  The 1997 Asian financial crisis had only served to emphasize that, during times of economic hardship, strong family cohesion helped cushion the negative impact of crises.  Today, families remained forces of economic sustainability and social harmony and thus contributed to efforts to fight against social harms, such as narcotic drugs, HIV/AIDS and violence.  In a rapidly changing world, the role of the family was all the more important.  With that in mind, Thailand’s Government had adopted a policy to strengthen the family, which emphasized, among other things, programmes to raise awareness and provide support, including the establishment of family development centres.

She suggested that the United Nations consider recognizing leading personalities in various sectors who could serve as role models for their societies, particularly young people, in the promotion of a strong and caring family.  The family could be further strengthened through efforts to empower and promote the rights and well-being of individual members.  The formulation of policies on the family should recognize the interconnectedness of issues related to women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.  Thailand had been implementing legislative, administrative and other measures to promote the rights and well-being of older persons and persons with disabilities.  Last year, the Parliament had enacted the Older Persons Act of 2003, which guaranteed the protection of the rights and welfare of older persons.

Thailand supported the follow-up to the Madrid Plan of Action at all levels and believed that the United Nations system, including regional commissions, could make significant contribution in support of national efforts in that regard, she said.  At the same time, the Commission had a key role and further deliberation through informal discussions, workshops and round tables would be useful for an exchange of views on the review and appraisal.  The Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities remained an important tool to improve the situation of persons with disabilities.  He favoured the Standards Rules, including through the proposed Supplement.  Thailand also supported the elaboration of a comprehensive convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

AISA FAROOQUI (Pakistan) said the general recommendations on improving the effectiveness of the public sector included in the Secretary-General’s report deserved the Commission’s astute consideration, particularly those concerning the developing world, where resources available for financing social services were often limited.  While Pakistan agreed that such countries needed to develop their economic bases, it also believed that an inequitable economic environment and trade regime, unsustainable debt and dwindling official development assistance (ODA) had aggravated the predicament.

In order to stop that downward slide and reverse the situations that drastically curtailed public services in developing countries -- exacerbated by deepening poverty, rampant disease, environmental degradation and the widening “digital divide” –- commitments made at Copenhagen, the Millennium Summit and the 2002 International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Monterrey, Mexico, must be fulfilled and integrated in a coherent way.  Pakistan, for its part, had introduced a programme on the devolution of power in order to help create a supportive environment to reinforce the public sector.  That had been a quantum step, which served to empower people, including women, by devolving decision-making to the grass-roots level.

Its most significant aspect was that, instead of a government functionary, an elected representative, supported by an administrative system, headed each district, she said, adding that women had also been empowered to play a wider role.  Foundations had also been laid for good governance through transparency and accountability in the public sector.  On the family, she said that in today’s fast-paced world, it was necessary to ensure that the bedrock of emotional and psychological support for all humankind continued to flourish.  The family unit, therefore, required greater attention at both national and international levels, underscored by the work under way in the United Nations system.  On disabled persons, she said her Government remained committed to bringing about the necessary changes in its policies to strengthen exiting measures serving persons with disabilities.

A representative of HelpAge International said growing numbers of older women and men in the developing world were struggling to cope with poverty.  Ever-increasing numbers of older people found themselves at the centre of family survival, caring for HIV/AIDS-affected dependants, supporting households with their labour and income, and rebuilding communities in the wake of conflict.  At the same time, older people found themselves without access to health and other essential elements in many parts of the developing world.  In Africa, people were ageing in an environment that did not provide adequate means for their survival.  Millennium Development Goals reports and programmes should address excluded groups, including older populations, people with disabilities and minority communities.  Also, greater efforts and resources were needed to ensure that the poorest were able to participate in poverty-related and the Millennium Development Goals consultations.  Such actions would pave the way for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, to which all were committed. 

The representative of New Humanity said, with the upcoming tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family fast approaching, the Commission’s chosen themes of family, ageing and persons with disabilities had particular relevance.  The same was true of its important focus on improving public sector effectives, since enhanced public services would also strengthen family life.  Ensuring a strong, healthy and loving planet had indeed been the goal of the International Year, as well as the Madrid Plan of Action, which had called for the creation of a “society for all ages”.  Public servants showed their love for humanity by creating and safeguarding social conditions, which allowed all other aspects of society to flourish.  Effective public servants also allowed fraternity to foster.

New Humanity believed that, in order for the feelings of fraternity to continue to flourish, the international community should, among other things, listen to all opinions, and explore all opportunities to ensure effective conflict resolution.  And while the steps to ensure that all States and peoples loved each other in kind might prove difficult, they were perhaps the price that must be paid in order to achieve unity, harmony and freedom.  He encouraged the Commission to recognize that promoting and ensuring fraternity -– a universal brotherhood and sisterhood -- was one of the keys to achieving public sector effectiveness.

A representative of the World Family Organization said that families were linked to every single development issue not only as beneficiaries of development programmes, but also as active agents for societal change.  She also invited delegates to participate in an international summit on the family, the outcome of which could provide a wealth of information for dialogue on family issues.  The purpose of the summit was to achieve a better and common understanding of the Millennium Development Goals and the role of the family in their implementation.  Five regional preparatory committees would take place for the summit, which would focus on five priority themes linked to the Millennium Development Goals.  The summit would serve to incorporate the family into the social development agenda.

The representative of the International Federation on Ageing said improving public sector effectiveness was critical to implementing the commitments made at the various United Nations conferences and meetings of the past decade.  It was critical that all aspects of public policy development and the implementation of policy must be informed by the principle of ensuring an effective public sector.  The impact of policies and regulations must be explored and fully understood before they were operationalized, she added.

To meet the needs of a rapidly ageing planet, social and economic factors must be fused as the basis of all international action in that area, she went on.  Everyone must work together for a more responsive and effective public sector, which would, in turn, ensure that relevant and proactive polices were created.  That would make it easier for individuals of all ages to enjoy a higher quality of life and positive atmosphere in which to reach older ages with dignity and security.  She urged the Commission to adopt and promote the review and appraisal system outlined in the 2002 Madrid Action Plan.

Panel Discussion:  Review of 2002 Madrid Action Plan

HEATHER RICKETTS, Department of Sociology and Social Works, University of the West Indies, Jamaica, briefed the Commission on a recent social assessment undertaken in her country, with the help of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, on challenges and coping strategies of young parents.  Starting with an overview of the process, itself, she said stakeholders and communities were identified through a series of workshops and dialogues.  When the field work began on the assessment, the University used a “bottom-up” or participatory approach to its data-gathering and monitoring, in order to make the findings available in the country’s policy-making.

Briefly highlighting some of the assessment’s findings, she said that the University had found youth unemployment to be very critical to youth parenting-issues.  And while fathers were absent in many cases, particularly in urban areas –- due mainly to death, migration or incarceration -– the assessment had found that a surprising number of them were still present in the home.  It revealed the impact of popular culture on young parenting, particularly the cruder aspects of “dancehall” music, which was very popular now.  She said that the assessment also revealed a serious deterioration in family social-support networks, underscored by the increasing number of young grandmothers, some as young as 29, caught in the struggle for survival, just like their sons and daughters.

She said the University had also witnessed girls discouraging condom use.  She said that, because a report on the undertaking had been completed relatively quickly, the findings had been able to assist Jamaica’s Family Institute during the compilation of the country’s Survey of Living Conditions.  So, the social assessment process was very helpful in getting the views of various stakeholders directly, particularly regarding policy development.  Such assessments, augmented by regular meetings and brainstorming sessions, were excellent ways of ferreting out emerging issues, which could be missed by a mere survey.

AMANDA HESLOP, Research Manager, HelpAge International, of the United Kingdom, said that her group actively supported the use of the “bottom-up” or participatory approach when putting together development plans and strategies, in this case for ensuring better lives for elderly persons.  She said that, while many agencies or institutions felt the approach was “too messy”, HelpAge saw broad participation of stakeholders as the best way to move the process forward, particularly regarding the formulation of national policies.  In that regard, she briefed the Commission on several of the group’s activities and social assessments on ageing undertaken in a number of African countries.

As for the value of the participatory approach, she said that the group aimed to use its experience to mainstream ageing into poverty-reduction strategies.  She noted that not surprisingly most countries had chosen health-care delivery for the elderly as a major challenge.  And with that in mind, HelpAge hoped to feed that and other findings into processes at national and regional levels.

It also hoped that, in the wake of a review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action, there would be some formal method of work with established groups of elderly people linking their concerns to policies.  HelpAge also recognized the importance of liaising with other active civil society groups working on the issue of ageing.  Another key issue identified by developing countries was the need to ensure poverty reduction.  The reduction of poverty among the elderly had also been included in the Madrid Plan.  The participatory approach facilitated the participation of people living in poverty, which was essential if the Millennium Development Goals and other international development objectives were to be achieved.

DIA ABOUBACAR, Inspector General, Ministry of Planning, Conakry, Guinea, briefed the Commission on Guinea’s participatory approach in the drafting of its poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP).  In drafting the PRSP, the Government had drawn on the lessons from the country’s 1995 human development process.  It had followed the participatory approach in drafting the PRSP in order to improve the decision-making process, provide new impetus to the bottom-up approach and ensure continuity in actions taken.  The process had begun with direct consultations with the people.  Thematic groups had also been created to carry out in-depth evaluation of the strategies for microeconomic growth.  A permanent framework for consultations was then established.  Based on that, a provisional PRSP had been drafted.

In May 2000, the document had been distributed for the comments of all participants, he continued.  The PRSP was then submitted for approval to the Board of Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).  While it had been approved, certain weaknesses had been detected following the approval. The private sector, local non-governmental organizations, and trade unions had looked at certain issues of the strategy.  Once those consultations were concluded, the document was finalized.  In terms of lessons learned from the drafting process, he said it was important to ensure that documents were validated during the drafting process in order to generate a sound participatory approach.  Capacity-building at both the grass-roots and institutional levels was also needed.

Interactive Dialogue

In an interactive dialogue that followed, the representative of Ireland, speaking on behalf of the European Union, asked what was the best way to ensure a consistent approach for the involvement of older persons in the development process.  What would be the key elements of a campaign to raise awareness of the Madrid Plan among older persons around the world?

The representative of HelpAge said it was important that poor and disadvantaged people were included in raising awareness campaigns.  It had to begin on a small scale, based on their rights and entitlements.  Linking them into the Madrid Plan would then be no problem.  Older people did not know that such policies existed.  One had to start with rights-based work.  On integrating ageing into development polices, one had a good example from the United Republic of Tanzania.  Mechanisms must be created in which dialogues could take place.

Ms. RICKETTS said that one of the ways that the elderly had been integrated in Jamaica’s development process was through the national policy for senior citizens.  The elderly had been actively involved in the many goals and objectives of the national plan.

A representative from the Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries said non-governmental organizations from African countries had said that debt servicing had worsened conditions.  In that regard, she asked if the PRSP project had brought about a change in the condition of people in Guinea.

A representative of the International Federation on Ageing asked how many governments had translated the Madrid Plan into various local dialects.  One had to look at ageing as a life-cycle issue, and look not only at ageing, but those who took care of them.

Mr. ABOUBACAR said that in Guinea 40 per cent of the population lived under the threshold of extreme poverty.  There was no method to assess the poverty level, however.  Most of the indicators in the PRSP were macroeconomic.  There was, therefore, a problem with evaluation.  The Government had asked for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assistance to examine the indicators it had been given.  The Ministry of Social Affairs had had to re-examine the marginalized groups by category, including, for example, the aged, the disabled and street children.

One speaker was disturbed by what appeared to be a tendency to emphasize the issue of poverty when dealing with ageing issues, which he felt marginalized the sector even further.  He felt it was perhaps more important to explore the positive aspects of elderly life, particularly the important role at the centre of family activities.  There was also a need to employ the experience of elderly persons when trying to craft ways to deal with issues related to the breakdown of the extended family.  He said it was time to reorient research and information-gathering strategies to find ways to integrate elderly persons into society.  Elderly persons should not just be seen as recipients of services, but also as perhaps providers of services.

Ms. HESLOP said that certainly older persons had a contribution to make and every effort should be extended to integrate them into society.  But, it appeared that the extent of the contribution was not known, or ignored in policy-making.  She added that the contribution was tragically underscored by the worsening HIV/AIDS pandemic, where some devastated communities could not survive without grandmothers and uncles taking care of orphaned children.  She reiterated that the Madrid Action Plan could help bring older people into the development process.  She disagreed with the delegate that families were not supporting older persons, and in that regard suggested that social support and pension schemes be revamped.

Ms. RICKETTS said that her social assessment on youth parenting had found four urban communities using older persons as parental support mechanisms, and the University had subsequently made a recommendation for the Government to study the practice more closely, with a view to perhaps institutionalizing it.

Summing up the discussion, JEAN-JACQUES ELMIGIER (Switzerland) said that it had been clear that, as in any policy-making approach, programmes for elderly persons required attention to the needs of the more vulnerable segments of specific group, bearing in mind local particularities.  Approaches should also be part of a poverty-alleviation strategy, he said, adding that integration of ageing and family issues in social development policies was necessary.

Some of the challenges discussed had been identifying indicators to measure poverty and discovering what criteria were involved in order to measure the effectiveness of policies already in effect.  As for follow-up and implementation of the Madrid Plan, he said that one important point had been on the necessity of raising awareness and publicity, and the need to bring together all actors and stakeholders together to work out clear priorities and goals.

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