Commission on Population and Development

Fortieth Session

4^th & 5^th Meetings (AM & PM)

SPEAKERS DESCRIBE WAYS COUNTRIES CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF POPULATION AGEING,

AS COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES DEBATE

As the Commission on Population and Development began its general debate today on how best to take advantage of the opportunities offered by world demographic shifts, speakers stressed that the wide-ranging socio-economic impacts of population ageing demanded a movement towards “active ageing” that could harness the untapped potential of older persons and use it to strengthen families, communities and nations.

Describing Europe’s experience with changing age structures, Germany’s representative, on behalf of the European Union, said the fact that people throughout the world lived longer should be seen as an opportunity for both individuals and society.  The wide range of socio-economic impacts of ageing, however, including a shrinking workforce, achieving access to high-quality health care, while ensuring the financial viability of health care systems, and ensuring adequate, sustainable and flexible security systems also needed to be addressed.  Already considered the “oldest” region in the world, the Union recognized that the issue of ageing could not be discussed in isolation from policy-making.  The Union’s response to the challenges of ageing had, therefore, been designed as part of its overall strategy of mutually reinforcing initiatives encompassing its economic, employment, social and cultural implications.

While South Africa was undoubtedly young, with some 52.4 per cent of its population under the age of 25, that country, despite the effects of HIV/AIDS, had also experienced an increase of people older than 60 years, South Africa’s representative said.  The percentage of South Africa’s older population was higher than in the majority of African countries and was expected to double in some 40 years.  The increase in HIV/AIDS had placed a tremendous responsibility of care for the sick and orphans on the elderly.  Youth, on the other hand, comprised the largest proportion of the unemployed.  Some 40 per cent of households were headed by women, which also comprised some 60 per cent of South Africa’s poor.  Given the overwhelming challenges on population and development of different age structures, her Government would continue to address the challenges holistically to ensure sustained human development.

With its historic demographic transition and rapid economic development, China had achieved remarkable accomplishments in the past three decades, that country’s representative said.  At the beginning of the twenty-first century, China was already on the list of countries that featured low fertility rates, low population growth and high life expectancy.  Socio-economic change and demographic transition in China had brought with it major changes in China’s population age structure.  Population issues remained a significant constraint on China’s attempt to achieve coordinated, sustainable development.  The Government would, among other things, prioritize investment in human development and promote China’s transformation from a populous country to a country competitive in human capital.

Delivering a keynote address on one of the Commission’s key themes, “the greying of the world: ageing matters”, Somnath Chatterji, Team Leader for Multi-Country Studies in the World Heath Organization (WHO), applauded the fact that the issue of ageing had taken centre stage in the global development debate in the wake of the Madrid World Assembly on Ageing.  Global leaders were aware of some of the real challenges posed by ageing populations, including higher costs for social services, possible labour shortages and higher costs for pensions and health care.  Countries in the West would have to deal with the burden of chronic illness and the feminization of ageing.  The developing world, on the other hand, would have to deal with the burden of illness and maternal and infant mortality.  Developing countries would face a unique challenge when their populations began to age: they would become older before they became richer.

“Ageing should matter to all of us,” he said, noting that the key was to focus on the functioning of older persons and finding effective strategies to improve their health and livelihoods.  If the health of the elderly population was addressed in a timely and appropriate manner, ageing would, indeed, be seen as a “boon to society and not a bane”, he said.

Presenting the findings of the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on violence against women, Christine Brautigam, Chief of the Women’s Rights Section in the Division for the Advancement of Women, noted that male violence against women and girls was a truly global phenomenon, occurring in many different settings and cutting across all cultures, regions and countries.  Male violence against women was not confined to any particular group of women.  On the contrary, women of all ages, classes and income groups were subjected to violence by men.  States had the responsibility to protect women from violence, to hold perpetrators accountable and to provide justice and remedies to victims.  A comprehensive General Assembly resolution adopted last year in the wake of the study had resulted in a number of concrete follow-up initiatives.  In that regard, she urged the Commission to consider linkages in an innovative manner that would further enhance international and national action to prevent and respond to violence against women.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Peru, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Singapore, Russian Federation, Hungary, Philippines, United States, Croatia, Indonesia, Sweden, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan, Ukraine, Malaysia, Colombia, Armenia, India, Pakistan, France, Libya, Australia, Uruguay, Guyana, Canada and Italy, as well as the Observer of the Holy See.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 11 April, to continue its work.

Background

The Commission on Population and Development met this morning to begin its general debate on national experience in population matters:  the changing age structures of populations and their implications for development.  It was also expected to hear a keynote address entitled, “The greying of the world: ageing matters” and a presentation on violence against women.

Presentation

CHRISTINE BRAUTIGAM, Chief, Women’s Rights Section, Division for the Advancement of Women, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, presented the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women, noting that the General Assembly had requested preparation of such a study in December 2003.  Presented to the Assembly in October 2006, the study resulted in the adoption of a comprehensive resolution, entitled “Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women”.  Male violence against women and girls was a truly global phenomenon, occurring in many different settings and cutting across all cultures, regions and countries.  It took on many different manifestations and emerged in new forms.  Male violence against women was not confined to any particular group of women.  On the contrary, women of all ages, classes and income groups were subjected to violence by men.  The way in which violence was experienced, however, might be significantly influenced by age, class, disability, ethnicity, religion and economic status.  States had the responsibility to protect women from violence, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to provide justice and remedies to victims.

Although global statistics were inadequate, the Secretary-General’s in-depth study indicated that, on average, at least one in three women was subject to some form of violence at some time in her life, she said.  Violence against women had far-reaching consequences, endangering the lives of women and girls and harming families and communities.  It undercut women’s potential to contribute to peace and development and constrained the achievement of all the internally agreed development goals.  The study highlighted the persistence -- and unacceptability -- of all forms of violence against women, in all parts of the world.  It sought to strengthen the political commitment and enhance joint efforts of all stakeholders to prevent and eliminate such violence.  The study reiterated that violence against women was both a cause and a consequence of discrimination against women and a human rights violation.  Efforts to prevent violence against women must therefore, be systematically grounded in the work of all States to eliminate discrimination against women.

After tracing the emergence of violence against women as a public concern, including the international community, the study set out the context within which violence against women occurred, she said.  The study underlined that detailed recommendations for action on violence against women had been developed in intergovernmental agreements and in reports, studies and guidelines by different actors.  It also concluded, however, that significant gaps remained in their effective implementation.  The study proposed recommendations for six key areas for action at the national level, including securing gender equality and protecting women’s human rights and exercising leadership to end violence against women.  Concrete recommendations were also directed at the international level, and addressed both the intergovernmental level and the United Nations system. 

On the question of research and data collection on different forms of violence against women, she said notable progress had been made in recent years.  The study discussed the use of population-based surveys.  It also discussed other sources of data and information, including service-based data and qualitative research.  Despite progress made in recent years, however, there was an urgent need to strengthen the knowledge base on all forms of violence against women, so as to enhance the effectiveness of policy and programme responses.  Very few countries collected data on violence against women on a regular basis, and such information would allow changes over time to be measured.  Data was also needed on how violence against women affected different groups of women, which would require data to be disaggregated by such factors as age or ethnicity.  Ensuring adequate data collection was part of every State’s obligation to address violence against women.

She noted that, in response to the study, in December 2006, the Assembly had adopted a comprehensive resolution to intensify efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women, addressing recommendations for action to different stakeholders.  The resolution provided the entities of the United Nations system with enhanced guidance to coordinate and intensify efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women in a more systematic, comprehensive and sustained way.  The resolution invited the Economic and Social Council and its functional commissions to discuss, by 2008, the question of violence against women, bearing in mind the study’s recommendations.  Since the resolution’s adoption, a number of concrete follow-up initiatives had already been launched.  The Commission had the opportunity to consider linkages in an innovative manner that would further enhance international and national action to prevent and respond to violence against women.

Statements

VICTORIA ZIMMERMANN VON SIEFART (Germany), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the fact that people throughout the world lived longer should be seen as an opportunity for both individual and societal development.  On the other hand, the process of ageing had a wide range of socio-economic impacts, many of which had been identified by European Union Member States, including adjusting to an ageing and shrinking work force, achieving access to high quality health care for all members of a society, while ensuring the financial viability of health care systems, and ensuring and/or adjusting adequate, sustainable and flexible security systems.

To meet those challenges, she continued, a wide variety of policy responses had already been developed or were being envisaged by the European Union, such as changing retirement ages, reforming pension systems, adjusting health care systems and improving residential and institutional care.  In that context, it was important to fully mobilize the active population through family-friendly policies that supported parents in combining work and home-life activities.  The European Union Member States were aware that such policies needed to be supplemented and further developed.

She went on to say that Europe was already considered the “oldest” region in the world, with a steady decline in births and numbers of young people in most European Union countries, even as the number of elderly persons was on the rise.  The Union recognized that the issue of ageing could not be discussed in isolation from policymaking and the bloc’s response to the challenges of ageing had been designed as part of its overall strategy of mutually reinforcing initiatives encompassing its economic, employment, social and cultural implications.  Such policies included the promotion of lifelong learning, improvement in working conditions and encouragement of activities after retirement, including health sustaining activities.

At the global level, the Union also believed that public policies could be strengthened in areas that included, among others, enhancing the ability of families to support older family members, supporting the ability of older persons to care for family members living with HIV/AIDS and their children, and addressing the issue of poverty and social exclusion in old age.  She went on to note that, while most developed countries were ageing, the developing world was experiencing unprecedented growth in youth populations.  That development had been exacerbated by the effect the HIV/AIDS had on the structure of populations in many developing countries, most notably in Africa.  In that context, the Union believed it was vital to equip young people with the means to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, and to provide and improve the necessary services to that end, in accordance with the International Conference on Population and Development.

JIANG FAN, Vice-Minister of the National Population and Family Planning Commission of China, noted that, over the past three decades, China had achieved two wonders, namely the completion of a historic demographic transition and rapid economic development.  The population and family planning programme had achieved remarkable accomplishments; with a decline in the total fertility rate from 5.8 in 1970 to 1.8 at present and over 400 million fewer births nationwide.  At the beginning of the twenty-first century, China was already on the list of countries that featured a low fertility rate, low population growth and high life expectancy.  Over the past 20 years, China had been keeping its average economic growth at 9.6 per cent per annum, and increased by 11 per cent its economic aggregates.  Socio-economic change and demographic transition in China had brought with it major changes in China’s population age structure.  As in many other countries, changes in the age structure were the result of changed mortality and fertility rates.  Compared to other countries, China would host one of the fastest growing populations in the world.

Another distinctive feature of China’s population age structure change was its remarkable “demographic dividend”, he said.  Some 15 per cent of China’s rapid economic development over the last two decades could be attributed to that dividend.  In 1990, the working age population had reached 67 per cent, where the total dependency ratio was 50 per cent.  In 2000, the proportion of working age population in China had risen to 70.l per cent.  By 2020, that proportion was expected to remain at around 70 per cent, while the total dependency ratio would decline to approximately 37 to 45 per cent.  The “demographic dividend” era would end by 2033.  Benefiting from a huge labour force and cheap labour, China would probably be able to maintain its rapid economic growth without facing a labour shortage problem.  While the rapid demographic transition had reduced the “population dependency ratio”, changes in the population age structure had also brought about enormous challenges to socio-economic development.  During the first half of the twenty-first century, China would embrace three population peaks -- in the total, working-age and aged populations.  Changes in China’s population age structure still implied enormous population growth in the future.  In the next 12 years, China’s population would maintain its strong growth momentum, with an annual net increase of 8 to 10 million.

China’s population ageing trend would exert unprecedented pressure on social security, he said.  The social security system for the elderly had not been established in most of China’s rural areas.  Most of the elderly depended on their families to support them.  Despite many efforts in recent years, the Government had a long way to go in terms of mitigating the pressures and challenges of population ageing in the foreseeable future.  Population issues remained a significant constraint on China’s attempt to achieve coordinated, sustainable development.  The Government would, among other things, prioritize investment in human development and promote the transformation of China from a populous country to a country competitive in human capital.

LUIS ENRIQUE CHAVEZ ( Peru) said that, although his country was very “young”, there were a significant number of elderly persons, and life expectancy had increased throughout the country in recent years.  The Government had estimated that Peru was now home to slightly more than 2 million people over the age of 65.  The country’s population structure had been affected by a number of positive developments, including improvements in health care and decreases in child mortality, adding that, like most developing countries, Peru was also dealing with the impact of rapid urbanization on its society.  The Government had taken up the cause of its ageing population and had been working to deal with specific age-related issues such as poverty and social exclusion in old age.

He went on to say that Peru must be ready to face the phenomenon of ageing and was prepared to adopt a broad sectoral approach that encompassed medical assistance, health, the ability to generate employment and migration.   Peru was also concerned with ensuring and enhancing the well-being and roles of women, particularly those living in traditional structures, who bore the heaviest burden for home, health and family care.   Peru was also aware that the United Nations could play a role in assisting developing countries deal with ageing population structures.  He called on the Commission to spearhead talks on establishing regional pilot projects that would help neighbouring countries share experiences and best practices in the area of changing population structures and ageing.

ILEANA NÚÑEZ MORDOCHE ( Cuba) said the Secretary-General’s report gave the impression that the developing and developed world would be in similar condition to benefit from the so-called dividends of the different stages of the demographic transition.  That was nothing but fiction, as for many developing countries it would be impossible to achieve the so-called second and third stages of the demographic transition taking place in the developed world.  Populations of all countries would age.  Would mass ageing south of the Sahara be possible while some 50 million people -- 6 out of very 100 persons -- suffered from AIDS and 174 of every 1,000 children died before the age of 6?  How would many developing countries reach the new stages of demographic transition when 83 out of every 1,000 children in the third world did not live beyond the age of 5?  How much hope could the developing countries have when only half of their populations enjoyed permanent access to health systems?  To meet the huge challenges of a demographic transition, disorder and selfishness in international relations would need to be halted and a more just, equitable and supportive international economic order would have to be established.

Continuing, she said the industrialized countries needed to double their official development assistance.  It was also necessary to stop devoting 18 per cent of exports to the payment of the external debt services.  Socio-economic changes in Cuba since 1959 had allowed it to build a more just and supportive society.  Cuba’s population had access to free health care and education.  Life expectancy was over 77 years and the mortality rate of 5.3 for every 1,000 births was the lowest in all the Americas.  Some 16 per cent of Cuba’s population was over 60 years and that would reach 25 per cent in 20 years, resulting not only in lower infant population rates, but also a decrease in the working population.  Cuba would continue to give high priority to assistance to senior citizens and to the most vulnerable age groups, despite the United States economic, financial and commercial blockade.  Cuba would also continue to broaden solidarity and cooperation.

Ms. ADDYKALIKOVA ( Kazakhstan) said that her country had consistently adopted and implemented the decisions reached at Cairo and other international conferences on population and development issues.  Along with more common demographic challenges, Kazakhstan had also had to deal with a major outflow of its population during the period of transition.  She said that immigration and repatriation had both positive and challenging aspects, which required the Government to adjust certain socio-economic policies and programmes.

At the same time, Kazakhstan continued to be challenged by overall low life expectancy, and high infant mortality, among others.  In response, the Government had actively taken up the implementation of relevant core United Nations initiatives in the socio-economic development field, with the aim of, among other things, protecting motherhood and childhood, reducing gender gaps in life expectancy, protecting people from negative environmental impacts, addressing labour migration, and working out pension and social security programmes for elderly populations.

JOHN B. SERUT, Assistant Minister for Planning and National Development of Kenya, said that, during the past few decades, the emerging debate on the socio-economic consequences of population ageing had given little attention to another critical variable: the distribution of a country’s population across the different age groups.  It was important to note that the impact of changing age structures was no longer theory, but reality, and that the global age structure would continue to transform societies, as the numbers of young people fell and the numbers of elderly rose.  He said population ageing in the context of stagnant or declining labour markets might also indirectly affect economic growth, to the extent that higher taxes needed to fund pension systems began to work to the detriment of productive investment and work.

He said that his own country’s fertility had stalled in the mid 1990s and the implications for future population growth, age structure and development were now being felt.  He said that, today, 52 per cent of Kenya’s population was below the age of 18, down from about 58 per cent in the early 1980s.  Emerging problems arising from disruptive social changes and poverty had led to unpredictable increases in the number of children living in difficult circumstances.  To address such challenges as homelessness, abandonment and delinquency, the Children’s Act had been adopted and a draft national policy on orphaned children was being finalized.  His Government was also addressing issues related to violence and injustices against women; for instance, it had outlawed female genital mutilation.

As for Kenya’s adolescent population, the Government had developed a national youth and development policy, as well as a gender equality and development policy, which specifically addressed the gender issues in the entire population.   Kenya had also recently established a fully-fledged Ministry of Youth to oversee and implement those strategies.  He added that the Government had also adopted polices on ageing that were expected to ensure support for elderly persons, including the creation of private social security programmes.

JOÃO SALGUEIRO ( Portugal) stressed the importance of raising awareness and knowledge of the multidimensional effects of changing age structures in the context of development.  Portugal faced a population that was continuously ageing, as was the case in many other European countries.  Population ageing in his country was the result of the interaction of such demographic tendencies as increasing life expectancy, lower fertility rates and considerable emigration flows.  The fertility rate in Portugal was 1.4 children per woman -- one of the lowest in the European Union.  International migration had become an increasingly important component of population growth.  In terms of national age structures, the proportion of older persons was higher than the proportion of the young population.  The share of the population of working age was 67.3 per cent and the potential support ratio was around four working age persons per one older person.  While the fertility rate was expected to increase, it would remain below the replacement level.

The regional and social implications of ageing would have massive repercussions and would cause new socio-economic and ethical problems, he continued.  It was necessary, therefore, to work together to establish a holistic and constructive policy response to that demographic challenge.  At the national level, coordination among ministries was of vital importance.  National policies should focus on, among other things, demographic replacement, the value of work and integration of migrants.  Another relevant measure was the promotion of flexible retirement practices, as well as reducing incentives and pressures for early retirement.  Older persons could also offer new market potential for products and services, namely health and day care centres that were geared to meet their needs, he added.

OLIVIER BELLE ( Belgium) said population ageing constituted great progress.  As a result of better working conditions, improvements in health care and housing and sustained economic development, people are living longer.  Ageing also posed economic challenges, however, requiring adjustments in retirement and health care systems.  Major changes were needed in society.  Today’s young were tomorrow’s older adults.  All of society stood to benefit by demonstrating intergenerational solidarity.  Targeted measures were needed to mobilize all of society.  A change in mindset was needed to harmonize work and family life, including mainstreaming age perspectives in all national policies as well as within the United Nations system.  The involvement of older adults in decision-making needed to be encouraged.

Aware of the challenges and opportunities of population ageing, Belgium had had taken a number of measures both nationally and within the European Union, he said.  One of the goals of the working group on ageing populations was to assess the impact of ageing on public finances.  Ageing was a challenge for both the North and South.  Efforts within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals needed to integrate the fact that the South would age quickly, more quickly than the North.  Ageing was not only a socio-economic problem, but also a challenge and an opportunity.  A cycle of life programme needed to be developed. 

He welcomed the fact that the Commission included the subject of violence against women in its work.  The Brussels appeal against gender-based violence, adopted in 2006, included 21 recommendations, including a call on States to shoulder their responsibilities in that area.  Mistreatment of older adults was still a taboo subject that included physical, psychological and financial abuse.  Support centres had been established in Belgium, which catalogued cases of abuse and provided counselling and follow-up.  Almost two thirds of those responsible for abuse were family members of the victim.  Most of them involved older women.  He hoped the establishment of assistance centres and hotlines would be followed by other countries.

CARMEN ALCAIDE, President of the National Institute of Statistics of Spain, said that her country was now in the midst of a demographic transition that was similar to that of all European Union countries, with declining birth rates and increasing numbers of older persons.  But, she noted that Spain was also experiencing a rather unique demographic transformation, brought about by immigration. The large population flows into Spain had been “unexpected, quick, intense and difficult to predict”, with important societal impacts.  It had affected Spain’s age pyramid, since the population of immigrants was largely younger.  At the same time, some believed that immigration might also somewhat offset, in Spanish society, the effects of population ageing that were affecting most of Europe.

She said that there were generally two types of immigrants heading to her country.  The first group consisted largely of Europeans who were older and drawn by climate and living conditions.  That population brought with them their savings and other resources.  The second group -- median age about 30 years –- was generally from outside the continent and looking to enhance their way of life. Looking at the estimates, the influx of this younger group was expected to hold at about 500,000 people a year for some time to come.  The Government and civil society agencies were trying to reconcile those figures with demographic predictions for the next 25 or 30 years.

She said that the economic and social impact of the intense influx of immigrants could be beneficial both for Spain, as well as for the countries of origin.  While there were obviously increased costs on Spain’s part, chiefly in health and education, at the same time the country benefited from a larger pool of ready workers who contributed to pension funds and heath care systems.  The sending countries could benefit from the remittances being sent from persons now living away from home.

AUDREY SEAH ( Singapore) said that her country had the third highest rate of ageing in Asia, and the number of people 65 and over was expected to jump some 8 per cent by 2030, when elderly persons would make up 20 per cent of Singapore’s total population.  In about four years, when the pace of ageing picked up and Singapore’s first wave of “baby boomers” reached the age of 65, the Government expected the economic burden on society to increase.  But, at the same time, Singapore expected that its relatively healthy population of elderly folks would be active.  So, the challenge would be to change the general mindset of society and recognize that, with productive ageing, seniors were a resource, not a burden.  Singapore was optimistic that its ageing population would bring about a thriving “silver industry”, too, creating economic benefits for all, while the increased range and diversity of products and services would benefit seniors as consumers.

She said that there were several strategic initiatives at the forefront of Singapore’s response to its ageing population, including enhancing the financial security and economic participation of older persons.  Singapore believed that employment and employability of older persons were critical to give continued financial independence to seniors.  Another key initiative was to enable older people to “age in place”, by providing a barrier-free physical environment and an accessible public transport system.

She said that Singapore had made some progress with its transport system and, in the past year, had completed retrofitting all subway stations.  All those access points were now barrier free, and the first wheelchair-accessible buses had been introduced in 2006.  By 2010, some 40 per cent of the bus fleet would be wheelchair accessible, she added.  Finally, Singapore aimed to ensure affordable health care and elder care services at the community level.  The Government was working with civil society to provide community-based care services and care-giving services to help families that needed help in providing for elderly relatives.

LUDMILA KISELEVA ( Russian Federation) said the world was undergoing a dramatic demographic change.  Russia was among the ten countries in the world with the lowest birth rates and declining birth rates were accompanied by population ageing.  To address the demographic change, the Government was in the process of finalizing a concept for the future that focused on core priorities, goals and areas of action for demographic development in the long term.  The concept included stimulating birth rates and reducing mortality rates.  It also included measures to improve health care during pregnancy, for children under the age of one and for orphans.  Other measures included incentives for adoption.

Given the changing age structure, the Russian Federation shared the need to reassess social systems and health care, she said.  Steps had been taken to revamp retirement support and improve awareness on health care and nutrition.  A major role had been played by the national health project, which provided for improved access to health care and medical assistance with the best and latest technology.  Given the need to replenish labour resources, the role of international migration was being discussed.  A number of legal instruments had been adopted to attract migrants to the Russian Federation.  Efforts were underway to adopt measures to protect their rights and ease the procedures for their entrance.

Keynote Address

SOMNATH CHATTERJI, Team Leader for Multi-Country Studies in the World Heath Organization’s (WHO) Department of Measurement and Health Information Systems, discussed one of the key themes before the Commission during the current session, “the greying of the world: ageing matters”.  He said that the issue of ageing had taken centre stage in the global development debate in the wake of the Madrid World Assembly on Ageing.  Governments, politicians and civil society actors were trying to wake people up to the demographic phenomenon, and the man on the street was now becoming more aware.  He noted that the issue was becoming such a popular “event” that it was now the subject of tabloid-type, “shocking” headlines like: “Life expectancy in most European countries is increasing now by five hours a day!” or “The scale of change will be comparable to or greater than the effects of climate change or global terrorism!”.

While such proclamations were extreme, global leaders were aware of some of the real challenges posed by ageing populations, including higher costs for social services, possible labour shortages and higher costs for pensions and health care.  He also noted that countries in the West would have to deal with the burden of chronic illness, as well as the feminization of ageing.  No one was yet certain that these large populations of elderly people would be necessarily healthier and more active.  Governments would have to create plans and programmes to ensure that older persons remained active in retirement and became a resource, rather than a burden.  He stressed that ageing was a development issue, and that healthy older persons were a resource for their families, their communities and the economy.

In the developing world, countries would have to deal with the burden of illness, as well as maternal and infant mortality.  He noted that developing countries would face a unique challenge when their populations began to age:  they would become older before they became richer.  In that context, those populations would not have an opportunity to prepare for healthy, active livelihoods in old age.  With that in mind, and looking at the experience of the industrialized world, there was a window of opportunity to share information and share best practices to help developing countries prepare to confront the trend head-on when it finally took hold.  He went on to note that, in the developing world, all health-related indices, including malaria and tuberculosis, would be affected by the phenomenon of ageing.

Turning to the results of the WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE), he said that, first and foremost, the key to understanding the ageing puzzle was to improve global measurement collection and compilation mechanisms to ensure cross-national, accurate and comparable data, and to make that information available to the public.  The core SAGE countries were China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation and South Africa.  The SAGE questionnaire had been pre-tested in over 1,500 respondents in three countries -- Ghana, India and the United Republic of Tanzania.  The Study aimed to examine patterns and dynamics of age-related changes in health using longitudinal design, and to obtain reliable, valid and comparable data on levels of health on a range of sectors for older adult populations.

He said that initial results had revealed that certain assumptions about health in parts of the world were myths, among them that chronic illnesses were diseases of luxury.  But, while the number of older persons and average median age of populations were increasing in all regions of the world, the resulting impact was of particular concern for developing countries, where social and health system safety nets were not as well developed and/or excluded older persons.  As the proportion and number of older persons grew, the composition of disease and illness shifted, especially in countries with depleted public health and health care systems.

“Ageing should matter to all of us,” he said, noting that the key was to focus on the functioning of older persons and finding effective strategies to improve their health and livelihoods.  There was also a need to identify and implement strategies to monitor chronic illness.  If the health of the elderly population was addressed in a timely and appropriate manner, ageing would indeed be seen as a “boon to society and not a bane”, he said.

Interactive Discussion

In a brief interactive discussion, questions were raised regarding the type of chronic illnesses affecting older women.  Good health was a precious good, one speaker noted.  As such, early investments in health were needed.  Indeed, developed countries had understood that for some time.  She was not surprised to hear of tobacco-related diseases.  Were alcohol, drug consumption and obesity as relevant as tobacco?  Another speaker raised the issue of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease, in developing countries.

Responding, Mr. CHATTERJI said it was clear that, as women aged, they also developed chronic illnesses, albeit not as dramatic as men.  The presence of such diseases as arthritis, uterine and breast cancer should be a source of concern. 

He agreed that health concerns were not only a tobacco-related issue.  He had illustrated his talk with smoking, as it presented the evidence more dramatically.  The same could be said for alcohol consumption.  While the burden of alcohol was actually increasing, alcohol use occurred in much younger age groups.  Many people who abused alcohol did not survive to old age.  Obesity was a concern in the developed and developing world.  Obesity was a concern even in urban sub-Saharan Africa.  A reliable way to track the phenomenon was needed to make any kind of plans for the future.

Dementia in the developing world was not well understood, he said.  Researchers were trying to address the phenomenon.  Earlier epidemiology suggested that dementia was not that prevalent in the developing world.  He did not know whether that finding was an artefact, or because that population did not survive to old age.  Measurements for intellectual decline were literacy and culture dependent.  Agreement had been reached on other ways to test for dementia-related illnesses.

Statements

FERENC KAMARAS ( Hungary) said a country’s age structure not only demonstrated its history, but also determined its demographic future and potential development.  Since the 1990s, Hungary had experienced both socio-economic transition and a sharp decline in fertility.  Like other transitional central-eastern European countries, Hungary’s fertility was among the lowest in the world.  While international migration had mitigated the pace of population decrease, it had not affected the country’s age profile.  A further increase in life expectancy was expected.  Recognizing the importance of action, the Government had initiated programmes to reshape and update employment, education, health care and social security systems.  A relatively low proportion of people of working age were in the labour market.  Increasing the rate of employment was one of the country’s most important economic priorities. 

He added that a transformation of the pension system had started more than 10 years ago, replacing the former “pay-as-you-go” system with one that relied on multiple pillars.  Some 30 per cent of the total population received pensions or some similar provisions.  Elevating the steadily low fertility rate and maintaining the positive migration balance could slow the ageing process.  The increasing positive balance of migration in the last decade had substantially eased the pace of population decrease.  A further net-migration gain could play an important role in slowing down the population decline.  While the age structure of immigrants was younger than that of the native population, the age composition of the total population could not be significantly affected by the migration surplus in the future.  While countries and regions faced different population-related concerns, every society would, sooner or later, have to face the socio-economic consequences of the phenomenon.

TOMAS M. OSIAS ( Philippines) said his country’s recent economic performance had gained the world’s attention.  The Government was focusing on making those gains trickle down to each citizen, by comprehensively addressing the development factors hindering faster economic growth and human development.  Population management concerns were explicitly included as a major component of the Government’s flagship programmes and development agenda.  Population was viewed as producer and consumer of goods and services.  The Philippines was experiencing a slow change in its population age-structure.  By global standards, the country still had a young population, with 37 per cent of its population under the age of 15.

The Government was moving to create the preconditions for such a demographic dividend or bonus, he added.  The primary focus was on intergenerational welfare, including making the young active contributors to development and preparing them to become productive adults, and caring for the growing elderly segment of the population.  Like other countries, Filipinos were faced with various challenges during their transition.  Aware of those challenges, the Government, in partnership with non-governmental organizations, was aggressively pushing initiatives to assist the young.  The Government was also pushing efforts to create an enabling environment for youth empowerment and participation in development planning, policy-making, advocacy and governance.

On the issue of Filipino migration, he said that phenomenon was one of the unintended results of the country’s changing population age structure.  As economic opportunities abroad attracted the country’s labour force, 8 million Filipinos were now working abroad.  Concluding, he called on the international community to support developing countries that were on the threshold of demographic transitions, so they could reap the positive effects of their changing demographic structures.

DAVID GALINDO ( United States) said that ageing represented perhaps one of the most significant opportunities, but also one of the most significant challenges countries could face in this young century.  The United States stressed a multifaceted approach to care for the older segment of its population, starting with the elderly themselves.  The aim was to give people more choices and greater control over their own health.  That meant dismantling bias towards institutional care, encouraging competition and seeking local solutions, not simply federal mandates.  In the United States today, families provided long-term care for 80 per cent of the nations’ elderly, he said, adding that one in every five American households provided some form of long-term care for the elderly.

He went on to say that one important facet of the United States’ national experience with ageing had been its emphasis on research and the progress the country had made in dealing with ageing.  The National Institute of Ageing, part of the National Institute for Health, led the federal research effort to increase understanding of the nature and implications of ageing to find ways to extend the healthy, active years of life.  That agency also supported research in many fields, including in age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, and demographic studies, including the issue of longevity.

Another key aspect of the United States’ national understanding of ageing was the international dimension.  Different countries took varying policy approaches in dealing with changing age structures, but, by sharing national experiences, nations could learn form each other.  He said that the United States placed a heavy emphasis on cross-national research and cooperation to develop a clear understanding of the implications of its own experience with ageing and to devise policies aimed at dealing with the phenomenon in the best way possible.

DAMIR ZUPAN, Minster Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Croatia, said that, throughout its history, Croatia had been a country of emigration.  But, over the past decade, Croatia had begun to witness a gradual increase in immigration.  Despite the relatively high rate of unemployment, some industries that could not find enough skilled workers often hired foreigners.  If that trend continued, it would be necessary to quickly develop forward-looking policies to help meet the demand for highly skilled workers in the future.  He said that demographic trends had also revealed a rapid increase in Croatia’s elderly population since 2003.  In just the past three years, that population had jumped some 65 per cent, propelling Croatia from twenty-second to twelfth on the list of the world’s “oldest” countries.

To reduce the negative effects of rapid population ageing, Croatia had, among other things, taken significant steps to involve older persons and wider society in work-related activities.  Following the European Union’s model, Croatia would work to ensure flexibility in its labour market and develop its education system to promote “whole life” learning and skills training as a way to decrease structural unemployment.  He said that Croatia was aware that sustained action was required to pursue the targets set at Madrid and, to that end, the Government had established, in 2003, the Ministry of Family, Veterans Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity that dealt with the special needs of the older population.

SUGIRI SYARIEF, Chairman of National Family Planning of Indonesia, said his country had implemented several family planning programmes that had shortened the demographic transition in the country.  As a result, there had been a dramatic change in the population’s age structure.  While the number of children and youth had historically been large, the greatly increased number and proportion of youth and those of productive age were recent developments.  The socio-economic developments resulting from changing age structures had created a challenge for the country as it tried to meet the evolving needs of all groups of society.  Addressing the impact of the current demographic transition was considered an urgent priority.  Family planning and reproductive health programmes remained the country’s highest priority.

The most obvious justification for investing in young people was the fact that they accounted for more than 60 per cent of the population, and were concentrated in very poor areas of the country, he said.  The Government had been paying special attention to the huge numbers of women of reproductive age, providing them with comprehensive family planning services.

Responding to the needs of the increasing number of elderly, the Government had formulated specific policies and programmes for them, he said.  Considering the complexity of the demographic transition and its significance for development, Indonesia recognized the importance of international cooperation and exchange.  In that regard, he called on the international community and donors to strengthen South-South cooperation through the Partners in Population and Development.

ULLA STRÖM ( Sweden) noted that an average Swede now reached the age of almost 79 years for men and 83 for women.  One hundred years ago, that average had been 54 and 57, respectively.  That fantastic development owed much to the modern welfare system, including gender empowerment and reproductive health.  “Yet, I fear we have lost some important aspects along the way,” she said.  The sign for “old” in Chinese was synonymous with wise, experienced and respectable.  The word in Swedish was synonymous with antique, obsolete, out-of-date, senile and dusty.  That said something, not only about the different languages, but also about mentalities.  In Sweden, and in a great part of the western world, it was necessary to relearn to respect and value citizens even after they retired.  It was easy to view older people as an economic burden and strain on health care systems, but one did not become obsolete at 60 or 65.  Older people were still important members of society and could contribute to the common good.  With greater respect for the elderly came a more positive approach to ageing.

When talking about ageing populations as burdens and challenges, it was necessary to keep in mind that, in some parts of the world, just reaching old age was a challenge, she continued.  Some countries had the same average life expectancy that Sweden had had a century ago.  If such dramatic change could be achieved in Sweden, it could be achieved elsewhere.  Health improvements throughout the life span created possibilities for both individual and societal development.  Despite being one of the more aged societies, Sweden had higher birth rates than many other developed countries and also had a very high participation of women in the labour market.  Ageing was not only about economic consequences, but also about human values.

ABDUL ALIM ( Bangladesh) said that the ageing phenomenon was not occurring in all countries at the same rate.  Some countries, especially in Africa and among the least developed countries, still had high fertility rates.  By 2050, such countries would have relatively young populations.  Those young people, if provided with the necessary wherewithal, presented an unprecedented opportunity for growth and development.  But poverty in developing countries remained a constant threat, and could hamper development.  Indeed, the world’s poorest countries were fraught with challenges and they could not allocate the necessary resources for large numbers of young –- or elderly persons -- without external assistance and the creation of a supportive global economic environment.

Turning specifically to the situation in his country, he said that, if current estimates held, by 2025, Bangladesh would have an elderly population that would grow faster than that of Europe.  He said that, in the last two decades, his country had undergone two major successive demographic shifts: rapid population growth in urban areas; followed by decreased fertility and higher longevity.  Rapid urbanization had led younger people to migrate, leaving seniors in rural areas.  While, traditionally, Bangladeshi culture promoted care for the elderly -- largely in extended family networks -- the new trend of urbanization, coupled with smaller families, had begun to change the situation.  Unemployment, low wages and high living costs meant that some of the new urban dwellers were unable to meet the needs of their ageing parents.

Despite its resource constraints, Bangladesh had taken a number of steps to address the specific needs of ageing.  Working with non-governmental organizations and the private sector, the Government had adopted formal and informal support systems and safety nets.  The Government had also introduced a long-term strategic investment plan for health, nutrition and population (2003-2010), with an estimated budget of some $5.5 billion.  But, the Government could not bear the burden of caring for a growing senior population on its own.   Bangladesh called for enhanced participation of the international community, as well as the private sector, to ensure the mobilization of resources to address population and development issues, as set out in the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action.

Ms. DEL RIEGO ( Mexico) said ensuring the full development of the population group between the ages of 15 and 24 represented a challenge for her Government.  Those young men and women would become the majority of the working-age population in the next 25 years.  In 2006, the population between the age of 15 and 24 had reached 20 million, equivalent to some 19 per cent of the total population.  Its growth was slowing, however, and by 2011 would be negative, the result not only of the fertility rate, but also international migration.  Crucial decisions and transitions occurred during youth, a stage in which the conditions were favourable for escaping poverty.  Mexico had achieved important progress in reference to youth reproductive health.  Education levels had increased substantially.  Youth was the transformative force for achieving a better, more equitable and inclusive Mexico.  The ability to respond to the demands of an ageing population would, to a large extent, depend on the formation of human capital and opportunities for development.

Population ageing posed substantial pressures for the health system, given the proliferation of chronic degenerative diseases and higher incidence of disabilities, she said.  Addressing the needs of the ageing population and looking after their well-being was an obligation the international community could not avoid.

RYUZABURO SATO, Director, Department of International Research and Cooperation, National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, in Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, said that, as a country’s economy grew, its age structure evolved or transformed in stages, posing a unique set of development challenges at each stage.  He said that Japan’s population had undergone dramatic changes in the past 60 years, as it pressed ahead with industrialization, infrastructure development and technological advances, which had led to an increasing number of people who chose to have few or no children.  That had resulted in an ageing society with a low birth rate.

As Japan continued to grapple with population ageing -- the rising number of senior citizens was increasing the need for medical treatment, nursing care and pension benefits -- the Government had, over the past four years, revamped pension schemes, as well as long-term care insurance and medical insurance schemes.  That approach could serve as a reference for other countries coping with ageing, he said.  Recognizing that population decline and ageing were two sides of the same coin, Japan was also taking steps to maintain the workforce that underpinned economic growth.  To boost youth employment, the Government was carrying out programmes that provided comprehensive job support and practical vocational skills.  At the same time, a higher retirement age and job security measures for senior citizens had been successfully introduced.

Ms. VLASENKO ( Ukraine) noted that ageing in her country permeated all forms of public life.  It impacted the population, the labour market, the structure of consumption and was reflected in living conditions and migration.  The process was accentuated by the fact that the economy was unable to address the effects of ageing, which was a key determinant in demographic development.  The level of ageing had steadily risen and the Government was seeking to resolve the demographic challenges facing the country.  In that regard, the institute of demography and social research had been resurrected in 2002.  The first major outcome of the institute was a strategy for demographic development.

As of today, absolute poverty among older persons had been totally eliminated, she said.  The Government sought to establish and support the image of the older person as purveyor of a powerful spiritual, creative and intellectual capacity.  The inevitability of the ageing process meant that it needed to be dealt with not only as a process with medical and economic challenges, but also one that created a new kind of demographic development that would affect life in the coming centuries.

FAIZAH TAHIR ( Malaysia) said that, over the next two decades, Malaysia’s population would still be moderately “young” -- with young people 14 and under making up 30 per cent of the population by 2020.  The implication of that situation was that much of the country’s development resources would be devoted to meeting the needs of youth and early adolescents, particularly related to child care; primary, secondary and tertiary education; skills development; and other social services.  At the same time, the Government was aware that it would also have to be concerned about meeting the needs of the steadily increasing number of seniors and, to that end, had already taken steps to prepare for a projected 3 million additional elderly persons by 2020.

He said that Malaysia was also aware that, since care for elderly persons had traditionally rested with family units, further declines in fertility would ultimately reduce the number of relatives available to provide for such dependents.  That problem was compounded by the fact that more women were working and that younger family members were becoming more mobile.  Responding to those trends, the Government had, over the years, introduced various relevant plans and programmes, including the National Policy on Older People and the Plan of Action on Older Persons (1995), which aimed to improve the quality of life for seniors and to integrate them into mainstream development.  The Government had also recognized that community-based programmes were a feasible approach to meeting current and future challenges.  To that end, Malaysia had ensured that support facilities would be made available, so that undue pressure would not be put on family support systems.

CLAUDIA BLUM ( Colombia) said the implementation of the Cairo Agenda had provided an important guide for the adoption of national policies aimed at incorporating population issues into public policies.  As illustrated in the Secretary-General’s report, the population differences between the developed and developing countries created challenges and opportunities that needed to be addressed in a balanced manner.  Colombia was in phase three of the demographic transition, due to the large number of working-age persons, especially young people.  Colombia needed to take advantage of the “window of opportunity”, in order to promote social investment in health and education, giving special emphasis on the participation of young people in generating wealth.  In that regard, Colombia had launched national policies aimed at confronting the greater weight of working-age people in the national demographic structure.

A first set of actions sought to regulate the entry of young people into the labour market through the extension of education and technical and professional training programmes, she said.  The objective of other policies was to address the issue of youth unemployment.  In spite of the current favourable demographic transition, Colombia faced challenges and restrictions that limited its capacity to take advantage of the potential of demographic dividends.  The case of international migration reinforced the need to continue and widen the political dialogue on key issues affecting the development of countries in different stages of the demographic transition.  Colombia hoped that national policies for demographic matters were complemented with effective cooperation actions, such as the promotion of a favourable economic environment at the international level.

NOUNEH ZASTOUKHOVA ( Armenia) said that her Government had been working with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on a population and development programme that aimed to strengthen national capacities in the area of demographics.  That programme also attempted to incorporate population dynamics, such as low fertility, migration and ageing into national sectoral polices and strategies.  During the implementation of that plan, Armenia had formulated its State demographic policy concept paper, which provided a brief description of the relevant challenges the country was facing and identified ways that existing problems could be solved in a manner that would ensure sustainable development.

The paper would serve as a framework for State and local authorities in population maters.  She said that analysis of the past 16 years had revealed the causes for the current demographic challenges Armenia faced, chiefly that considerable outflows of migrants and unfavourable social, economic and household conditions had negatively impacted population dynamics.  She noted that, after a disastrous earthquake in 1988 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union three years later, the social and economic situation in Armenia had deteriorated and more than half the country had been impoverished.  Since that period, it had become clear that continued migration was one of Armenia’s most serious socio-economic challenges.

The study had highlighted the issue of ageing as a concern, and had also revealed some positive trends, such as decreased infant mortality.  She said that certain measures should be implemented to meet the objectives of demographic policy by promoting fertility, reducing mortality, developing and introducing a system of privileged marriage loans and reforming employment legislation, among others.  Implementing those measures would require combined efforts from the State and civil society, particularly in developing and putting forward mechanisms to promote Armenia’s demographic potential.

NIRUPAN SEN ( India) said that, by all accounts, India was on the cusp of a “demographic dividend”; with approximately half its population under the age of 25, by 2020, the growth rate of the working-age population was expected to exceed the growth rate of the total population.  So, through 2025, India would have the benefit of a continuous stream of young people entering the labour market in the context of expanding manufacturing and job creation.  Hence, employment would boost savings and maintain very high growth rates.  Above all, the energy and vibrancy of young people, along with their capacity for risk taking and innovative ideas, put India on the cutting edge of economic advances and science and technological progress.

He said that the Government was preparing for those far-reaching changes and, by the end of the year, India’s eleventh plan -- “Faster and More Inclusive Growth” -- would kick in.  Among other things, the Government intended to increase public spending on education to at least 6 per cent of gross domestic product and a national committee on education would allocate the resources and monitor programme implementation.  Turning to the work of the Commission, he said that the relevant reports of the Secretary-General made it clear that enhanced resources were needed to ensure that the United Nations could effectively assist developing countries in meeting the targets agreed in the area of population and development.  It was up to the international community to help convert development challenges into opportunities, and one way to start was to recognize that, in a globalized world, investments in today’s youth, whether by developed or developing countries, were investments in the common future of humankind.

SHAHZADO SHAIKH ( Pakistan) noted that, as a developing country, it was both an opportunity and a challenge to look at the age structures of population and their implications from a development perspective.  If a high proportion of the population was young, it posed a major challenge for any country, including the need for increased investments in education, health, skills and employment creation to optimize the benefits resulting from that demographic transition.  In return, well educated and trained manpower could result in a demographic dividend, by boosting productivity and rapid economic development.  Pakistan was experiencing a demographic transition, with a reduction in the fertility rate from 6.3 in 1975 to 4 in 2006.  Pakistan’s age structure, which had evolved as a result of sustained high fertility and sharply declining mortality, would continue to increase, even if the replacement fertility level was achieved by 2020.

He said he appreciated the fact that the Cairo Conference had introduced a paradigm shift heralding an era of global population and development initiatives.  Pakistan had fully embraced that new paradigm and had reformulated its population and development policy to meet the needs of the people.  The essential message of the new policy was to improve the quality of life through reducing population growth by providing high quality and readily accessible reproductive health and family planning services.  That policy sought to create an enabling environment for managing social and demographic changes, particularly through improvements in education and the status of women.  Despite financial constraints, Pakistan pledged not only to maintain the momentum of its progress, but also to accelerate it.  Pakistan ranked sixth in the order of world population.  Further reduction in maternal mortality, infant and child mortality, accompanied with declining fertility, remained the highest priority.

Another challenge was to enable the nation’s youth to make the transition to adulthood, he said.  That would be achieved through improved education and employment opportunities.  Efforts to empower women and reduce the gender imbalance in education and employment were other core priorities.

OLGA MABITSELA, Director of Population and Development Strategy, Department of Social Development of South Africa, noted that, in her country, children constituted just over one third, or 39 per cent, of the country’s population.  In 2005, there had been over 18 million children, the majority of which were between 6 and 12 years old.  In the same year, there had been some 3.4 million orphans, largely due to the loss of parents from the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  The number of children living in child-headed households was also expected to increase.  South Africa had been experiencing a decline of total fertility since the 1950s, when it had been 6.1 live births per women.  The current rate was 2.5 births per woman.  In response to the challenges, the Government, the private sector and civil society had played a significant role in the care of vulnerable children.  To address such challenges, the Government had adopted a national integrated plan for children and youth infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.  The Government was also committed to finalizing an improved national comprehensive strategy against AIDS and sexually transmitted infections.

Globally, there were more young people now than ever before, particularly in developing countries, she said.  In demographic terms, South Africa had a young population, with 31.9 per cent of the population younger than 15 years and 20.5 per cent aged 15 to 24.  That meant that 52.4 per cent, or one in every two South Africans, was younger than 25 years, and one in every five was aged 15 to 24.  Youth comprised the largest proportion of the unemployed, and women and rural youth were worse affected than others.  While many unskilled youth and women were unemployed, there was a shortage of suitably skilled workers in general.  The Government was engaging in various activities to address the challenges facing youth.  The joint initiative on skills acquisition, for example, was aimed at developing skills, especially focusing on youth. 

While South Africa was a youthful country, it had also been experiencing an increase of people older than 60 years, despite the impact of HIV/AIDS, she said.  The percentage of South Africa’s older population was higher than in the majority of African countries.  There were projections that that cohort would double in some 40 years.  The increase in HIV/AIDS had placed a tremendous responsibility on that cohort in caring for the sick and orphaned.   Free health care services, especially primary health care to the elderly, was being provided.  The Government was also providing and supporting residential institutional care and community-based services and social grants.  More than 2.1 million elderly people received the old-age grant.  Women constituted some 52 per cent of the South African population.  A significant proportion -- some 40 per cent -- of households were female headed.  Women comprised some 60 per cent of the poor in South Africa.  The Government was accelerating the implementation of all its programmes and mechanisms for people living in abject poverty.  The changing challenges on population and development of different age structures in South Africa were overwhelming.  The Government would continue to address the challenges holistically to ensure sustained human development.

PIERRE-ALAIN AUDIRAC ( France) said that, his country, like most in the European region, was experiencing a demographic shift towards a more elderly population.  Moreover, both men and women were now more likely to live into their early to mid 80s.  At the same time, while replacement fertility was pretty much assured in France, at present, immigration accounted for the growth in the younger population.  Still, one could not ignore the expected socio-economic impact of the gradual peaking of the current older segments of society.

The Government had instituted a number of programmes and schemes to address the coming challenges, including by revamping retirement schemes and adjusting labour schemes to deal with elderly workers.  He added that the Government had placed a special priority on the conditions of elderly women, since research had revealed that nearly half the women in the country between the ages of 80 and 84 lived alone.  There was also the issue of defining old age –- which would help with adjustments in retirement age and the age at which pensions and other social benefits kicked in.  The Government would also work to address the issue of the poverty and exclusion of older persons, he added.

MOHAMMED KHALED AL GWAIL ( Libya) said his country was witnessing the second phase of the demographic transition.  The percentage of those younger than 15 years of age had declined from 51 per cent of the population in 1973 to 32 per cent in 2006.  The number of adults and elderly had increased due to improved living conditions, health care and child services, as well as a reduction in mortality rates.  Libya had a social security system that included a retirement pension financed by the social security fund for former civil servants, which was replenished by voluntary contributions.  There was also a pension benefit for former employers of the private sector.  In 2006, a resolution had been adopted to increase the minimum allocation for both.  A basic pension allocation for the poor and needy had also been established, which was financed by the social security fund and voluntary contributions.  That allocation had also been increased.  In 2007, allocations had been granted to those over the age of 80, to enable them to live in dignity.

Responding to the desire of retirees who believed they could contribute to the work force, a law had been enacted to enable them to remain active, he said.  The elderly also befitted from several services provided free of charge.  Regarding youth, he said Libya sought to encourage their growth and development.  Education was provided free for all youth, and Libya also provided easy credit terms for young people.  Such steps would accelerate economic development and improve living conditions for all population groups.  The developing and least developed countries were facing the challenge of having too many unemployed workers.  It was important to exchange best practices and enhance relations among think tanks, so that developing countries could formulate strategies to face the challenges of changing population structures.  Libya continued to extend assistance to its African brethren.

ROBERT HILL ( Australia) said changing population age structures would continue to affect the way in which socio-economic development was addressed.  Australia, like many other countries, was facing the complex challenges of an ageing population.  In response, it had put in place a strong foundation of policies based on increasing participation in the workforce, improving productivity and supporting families to ensure sustainable economic growth for future generations.  Australia was one of the very few developed countries that had seen an increase in its fertility rate in recent times.  That could be attributed to targeted measures that supported young families, encouraged private retirement saving and facilitated workforce participation for women.  Reforms had been introduced to help people rejoin and stay in the workforce.  Policies to raise labour force participation helped address the slowing of labour force growth associated with an ageing population.

To lift productivity to sustain acceptable rates of economic growth, Australia had implemented policies to create a more flexible labour market and improved links to international markets.  By removing unnecessary regulation across levels of Government and boosting competition in the areas of energy, transport and infrastructure, economic growth had also been improved.  Australia produced an intergenerational report every five years to assess the sustainability of current Government policies over the next four decades.

Regarding the issue of violence against women, he said such violence must not be tolerated in any form.  Nationally, Australia was tackling gender-based violence through a women’s safety agenda that focused on prevention, health, justice and access to services.  Violence against women was both a cause of gender inequality and one of its most pervasive symptoms.  He urged all Member States to commit, at the highest political levels, to eradicate violence against women.

ALVARO PORTILLO ( Uruguay) said the international community needed to constantly examine the links between demographic transition and development.  In the not to distant past, age shifts had affected families, communities and labour markets.  As the family unit had continued to weaken, provisions for caring for elderly persons required institutional interventions to fill the gap.  As for Uruguay, which was one of the most rapidly ageing nations in the Latin American region, the Government was actively seeking to ensure social justice for its elderly population, while not ignoring the effects of such adjustments on the wider society.  He said that the Government was aware of the need to ensure social harmony in all its demographic policies, while looking ahead to future development and socio-economic growth.

TROY TORRINGTON (Guyana) said the unique window of opportunity for development that changing population structures presented for many countries magnified the challenges to development faced not only by developed, but, critically, many developing countries, including those of the Latin America and Caribbean region.  Increased longevity and declining sizes of younger generations were apparent in the region, where the ageing process was occurring much faster and under less favourable conditions than in the more developed world.  Interestingly, successful basic social and health care systems had resulted in longer life expectancy and declining child mortality, which, along with declining fertility rates, had led to one of the world’s fastest demographic transitions.  Universal, basic social and health care could no longer be financed solely by Governments.  While almost all countries had recognized that, a comprehensive reform of health care, social protection and pension systems had not yet taken place.  While the age-sex distribution of Guyana’s population showed that it was still in the expansive phase of demographic transition, the data unambiguously substantiated the reality of the gradual ageing of the population.

He said several seemingly insurmountable challenges would need to be overcome if countries such as Guyana were to take advantage of the window of opportunity offered by the rapid transition in the age structure of their populations.  While not necessarily portending a crisis, Guyana’s experience of the twin impact of an ageing population and simultaneous loss of skilled personnel through migration underscored the significant implications changing population structures had on development.  Equally, it pointed to the possibilities for enhanced collaboration among and between countries and regions in sharing experiences, lessons and approaches to meet the challenge.  In that regard, strengthening the Regional Commissions should remain a priority.  He added that Guyana’s Government had consistently pursued initiatives to reduce violence against women.

DIANA RIVINGTON ( Canada) said that her country was also preparing for an ageing population, largely by making sure that there was an adequate workforce.  The Government understood that a larger number of older Canadians wanted the flexibility to retire gradually, so they were not forced to choose between full-time work and full-time retirement.  Canada had introduced measures to allow individuals to work longer, while increasing their financial security.  Among other things, it had set up a targeted initiative for older workers, a $70 million programme to address the needs of older workers and help them stay active in the labour market.  She added that mandatory retirement rules had all but disappeared.

She said that it was also important to encourage the continued growth of the labour force with the addition of younger workers.  To that end, Canada had been accepting large numbers of new Canadians through immigration.  The country’s 2007 budget had set aside monies to support the ongoing operation of the Foreign Credential Referral Office, so that new Canadians would be able to find work.  Those and other measures to support families with children would help ensure a robust labour force in the future.  On the situation in developing countries, she said that, through its development assistance, Canada was working with partners to support the creation of a sound enabling environment, so that small- and medium-sized enterprises continued to generate jobs.   Canada was also implementing initiatives to respond to the health needs of populations, particularly in dealing with the effects of HIV/AIDS.   Canada was concerned about the ongoing issue of violence against women and girls.  Accurate and detailed statistics and disaggregated data were needed to ensure that sound policies were put in place to eradicate such violence.

ANTONIO GOLINI (Italy) said ageing was the positive result of two victories, namely the victory over unwanted births and that over premature death.  But, when the sharp prolonged fall in fertility coincided with a jump in longevity, the resultant intensive ageing process required that societies be dynamically restructured in response.  In Italy, now statistically one of the, if not the, “oldest” country in Europe, the debate about possible responses was under way.  Among other things, there was an attempt to raise fertility, and the Government was trying to remove impediments that penalized couples who decided to have more than one child.

He said another response was to accept migration, which for Italy was advantageous and actually necessary from an economic and demographic standpoint.  Migration was an “unstoppable force” in any case and needed to be confronted head on.  Another response was to optimize the role of women in the labour market, especially since, currently, they were more likely than men to have obtained a university degree and their participation in the labour market was increasing.  Also, countries could take advantage of social and health support provided by foreign caregivers.  The Italian Government had estimated that there were some 800,000 foreign caregivers in the country, assisting older persons.  But, considering the growing burden on adult family members and the smaller size of modern families, Italy would promote voluntary social and health support by other self-sufficient older people who could commit the time and energy to those less fortunate.

CELESTINO MIGLIORE, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, said the Commission’s reports suggested that dependency ratios were set to soar in some places, where an increasing number of elderly people would lay a heavier burden on the active population.  He hoped States would work to foster respect for human life in all its stages and find solutions that were right and just, not merely pragmatic.  While Europe, by 2050, was set to have an elderly dependency ratio similar to that of Africa’s in the 1960s, Africa was set to have the lowest dependency ratio in the world.  That projection should hand the continent an unprecedented advantage in economic terms, as a young and numerous workforce should be available to it by 2050, while the demographic dividend in most other regions would have run out.  To assure that Africa would not miss that window of opportunity, it must be helped, including by investing in its human capital and infrastructure. 

He said the most decisive investment to be made was in education, especially for girls and young women, which could have a notable impact on population growth.  As women became better educated, they gained greater respect and had a greater say in family affairs.   Since the Commission’s last session, important initiatives had been completed and launched, particularly concerning migrants, a topic of no small importance in relation to the changing age structures of populations.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record