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Providing support for old people is a daunting task, says Ban

Providing support for old people is a daunting task, says Ban
By Inonge Noyoo
Monday October 01, 2007 [04:00]

POPULATION ageing brings significant economic and social challenges for developed and developing countries alike, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said. In his message on the International Day of Older Persons which falls today, Ban said sobering statistics showed that some 80 per cent of the world's population were not covered by social protection in old age.

He said finding ways to provide economic support for a growing number of older persons through sustainable pension programmes and new social protection measures, was a daunting task, particularly in developing countries.

"The theme of this year's International Day of Older Persons focuses our attention on the challenges and opportunities of ageing. Yet on the other side of the equation, we have one of the great achievements of our time - considerably extended life expectancies in nearly all parts of the world, thanks to improved standards of healthcare," he said.

Ban said older persons now had many more opportunities to keep contributing to society beyond any set retirement age. He said people's views of the old were changing all the time.

"Where older persons were sometimes seen as a burden on society, they are now increasingly recognised as an asset that can and should be tapped," he said. "The role of older persons in economic and social development is a major feature of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, as is promoting democracy and the rights of older persons through their participation in all aspects of society."

Ban said the commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons should be an opportunity to stimulate discussion among all stakeholders on progress in implementing the Madrid Plan, in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the broader United Nations development agenda.

"I urge you all - member states, non-governmental organisations, the United Nations system, older persons and their organisations - to seize this opportunity, today and in the months ahead.

Together, taking a balanced approach to both the challenges and opportunities of ageing, we will be able to give life to our shared vision of a society for all ages," said Ban.

Labels: PENSIONERS, UN

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