AUICK Second 2006 Workshop

THEME

Population Ageing and Appropriate Measures for the Aged

BACKGROUND

World Population is growing rapidly, but it is ageing even more rapidly. In the last half century World population more than doubled, from 2.5 to 6.1 billion. The population 65 and over, however, more than tripled, from 131 million to 417 million. Over the next half century, world population may grow by about 60% to 10 billion, but the population 65 and over will almost triple again, from 417 to 1.5 Billion. In 2050

This accelerated ageing process is even more dramatic in Asia. In the last half century, Asia’s total population almost tripled, rising from 1.4 to 3.7 billion. Those 65 and over, however, grew by almost four times, from 57 to 217 million. The future will see even greater ageing. While the total Asian population may grow from 3.7 to 6.4 billion, or 57 percent from 2000 to 2050; those 65 and over may grow from 217 to 907 million, or an increase of more than 4 times. Moreover, the number of really old people in Asia, those 80 and over, has grown from about 4 million in 1950 to 29 million in 2000; they will grow to over 225 million by 2050.

Population ageing has a great impact on society and economy. It brings a shrinking of the work force, an increasing social-security burden, and a major change in family structure and medical problems. As women represent the larger number and proportion of older people in almost all societies, the issue also has important gender implications. On the other hand, the positive aspect of ageing is that the elders have more time to contribute to the society with their rich experience of life and work.

UNFPA has been actively involved in ageing issues for many years. It has worked with many countries to formulate appropriate public policies and promote policy dialogues to respond to the challenges posed by the social, health and economic consequences of population ageing. It has also assisted many countries to meet the needs of older persons, with particular emphasis on the poor and especially women.

The UNFPA Policy Guidelines on Ageing provide measures which can effectively respond to the needs, expectations and rights of older persons. They include the following:

• Focus on the older poor, in development and poverty-reduction strategies;
• Examine the economic, social and cultural implications of population and demographic changes, and how they relate to development concerns;
• Promote the implementation of adequate policies and programs for active ageing, including life-long education and training, and the full participation of older persons in community life;
• Recognize and support the care-giving services provided by grandparents, especially women, to grandchildren orphaned by AIDS;
• Eliminate discrimination; financial, psychological and physical abuse; and other crimes against older persons, especially women, including intergenerational violence; and
• Promote intergenerational solidarity with the goal of maintaining and improving social cohesion.

AIM

This workshop is designed for senior officials of AUICK Associate Cities (AACs) who are in charge of policies and programs directed at the aged. In view of the UNFPA Policy Guidelines on Ageing, the Workshop is designed to help the participants improve their knowledge to address the urban policy implications of the population ageing processes and its social and economic impacts. It is also designed to increase the participants understanding and kwow-how of administrative measures for the aged through presentations of city reports, case studies, discussions and field observations. Each participant is also expected to develop a concrete action plan for appropriate administrative measures for the aged, which is to be implemented upon their return to their cities.

PARTICIPANTS

The workshop was designed for the senior-most officials of departments directed at the aged from 9 AUICK Associate Cities: Chittagong (Bangladesh), Weihai (China), Chennai (India), Surabaya (Indonesia), Kuantan (Malaysia), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Olongapo (Philippines), Khon Kaen (Thailand), and Danang (Vietnam).

Countries are listed in alphabetical order.

Mohammed Nasim Bhuiya
Project manager, Partnership Agreement-3, Second Urban Primary H, Health Department, Chittagong City Corporation, Bangladesh

Xin Jie Cai
Vice Director, Civil Administration Bureau, Weihai City, China

Shatha Kumri Paranthaman
District Family Welfare Medical Officer, District Family Welfare Bureau, Corporation of Chennai, India

Wiwiek Widayati
Head of Cooperation Division, Surabaya City, Indonesia

Anuar Bin Che Mahmud
Deputy Director, Pahang Social Welfare Department, Kuantan Municipal Council, Malaysia

Naseem Ahmad
Executive District Officer (Municipal Services), Engineering, Local Council Services, City District Government, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Fernando Moselina Magrata
Acting City Administrator and Hospital Administrator, Office of the City Administrator, Olongapo City, Philippines

Nudnapa Juntavaree
Chief, Department for Promotion of Participation and Decentralization, Khon Kaen Municipality, Thailand

An Van Nguyen
Vice Director, Danang Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Department, Danang People’s Committee, Vietnam

[Accompanying Interpreters]

Hong Jun Cong
Chief, Passport and Visa Section, Weihai Foreign Affairs Office

Bui Thi Hong
Program Assistant, UNFPA Vietnam Office

PERIOD

From Monday 30 October - Friday 10 November 2006

SCHEDULE/PROGRAM

REVIEW

In their written evaluations,the participants gave high marks to the presentations, which they felt helped increase their knowledge of the problems of ageing. They also appreciated the field visits, the general organization of the workshop, and the opportunity to meet Japanese elder community leaders. Overall the workshop provided the three major elements that all AUICK workshops have been designed to provide: 1. Technical information and the high quality of services a city like Kobe can provide; 2. An opportunity to learn from one another in “south to south assistance”; and 3. The opportunity and assistance to develop a plan of action to activate in their cities upon their return home.  We can elaborate on each.

1. Technical knowledge and standards.
   The participants learned about the basic demographic dynamics that produce an ageing population. They also saw where their own cities fit into those dynamics:  some already feel the pressure of the ageing population while for others these pressures are still a generation in the future. In Kobe they also found two very important lessons. One set the standards for high quality of care for the aged. These are standards all cities should attempt to meet. But they also learned that even a wealthy city like Kobe faces severe challenges in continuing to provide high quality services to the aged. All cities will face these challenges in the future.
2. South to South assistance.
   The participants learned much from one another. This, in fact, brought the most innovative output from the workshop. Cities like Weihai, Khon Kaen, Surabaya, Kuantan, Danang, and even Chennai in India, have come through the demographic transition in which their national family planning programs helped to reduce fertility quickly and safely. In many cases those well developed programs are no longer needed to the same extent.  Thus participants developed the idea to transform their family planning programs into family welfare programs that include care for the aged. Those programs have developed strong organizational networks for delivering services and information throughout the country. It will be far better to continue to use those organizations through simple adjustments rather than to abolish them with all of the strengths they have. The participants also came to recognize that although deep Asian traditions enjoin families to care for the aged, urbanization and modernization are everywhere undermining those traditions and new patterns of aged assistance must be developed by governments everywhere.
3. All participants developed specific action plans that will take what they have learned back to their own cities.
   In this way, they translate what they have learned into specific and practical work plans that will help their cities better meet the challenges of an ageing population. Where the challenges lie far in the future, the first steps will include obtaining better information on the number of aged, their growth and their conditions. Where the aged now pose challenges, participants were able to develop specific and practical steps they can take at home to meet those challenges.