Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to join you today in our briefing on the Decade of Healthy Ageing.
The lives we have lost so far, from the COVID-19 pandemic, have reached mind-numbing figures. As you have heard from Naoko, the pandemic has and continues to have disproportionate and severe impact on older persons around the world. DESA recently analysed data from 55 countries, noting that the death rate of older people from COVID-19 ranged from 4 to 40 times higher that than that of younger ages. The deaths appear to be higher in countries where older persons live in nursing homes. In countries with high proportions of older persons living in institutions, older persons are over 60 times more likely to die from the pandemic than those at younger ages. Still, as you know the spread of the virus, the sluggish economic growth, the deepening inequalities and the upheaval to our lives is not over yet. If I stopped here, this picture would amount a to a nightmare and in fact it is not pretty.
However, the pandemic has served to lay bare the uncomfortable truth, where older persons have long been subject to inadequate protection of their rights and are often overlooked in national policies and programmes. But pandemics drive change. Realizing the need for immediate impactful action, 146 Member States jointly issued a statement of support to the Secretary-General’s policy brief on the Impact of COVID19 on Older Persons. I particularly wish to express my gratitude to the missions of Argentina, Austria, Canada, Chile, El Salvador, Morocco, Slovenia and Turkey, who coordinated and lead the issuance of this strong statement, thank you for your support.
Coming out of this crisis will require a whole-of-society, whole-of-government approach. This is precisely the vision and ambition of the Decade of Healthy Ageing as a global multi-sectoral multi-stakeholder undertaking, that goes beyond “health” to improve the lives of older persons, their families and communities.
There is no question, and Member States know well, that people around the world are living longer. Global ageing is unprecedented, it is pervasive and enduring. If there is one thing that we have in common, it is that we are- if we are lucky- all ageing. Between 2020 and 2050, the number of older persons is projected to more than double to 1.5 billion, where 1 in 6 people in the world will be an older person.
Preparing for an ageing population is integral to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, bearing in mind that by 2030 (the target date for the Sustainable Development Goals) the number of older persons is projected to globally, already, outnumber youth. So, if we are to meet those targets, we must raise visibility of and pay closer attention to the specific challenges faced by older persons during the implementation phase of the 2030 Agenda.
But I wish to take this a step further. DESA analysed 201 voluntary national reviews from 2016 to 2020. Around two thirds of the reviews included references to ageing. When taking a closer look, we found that ageing issues were often portrayed as a challenge, a concern over the sustainability of social services, pensions and healthcare systems.
We need to re-examine how we reference our changing population. I believe that emphasis on a negative view, in fact overlooks major opportunities that are also emerging. Older persons are key actors of development and play crucial roles in their families, communities, economies, environments and political systems. It is therefore important not only to ensure that development gains reach older persons, but that their knowledge, experience and expertise are also harnessed to deliver on the Goals. This is not just a moral argument. The Secretary-General’s report to this session of the General Assembly presents new research on how longevity has the power to transform labour markets, economies and societies. Reaping the benefits of longevity for sustainable development demands the adoption of evidence-based policies, with a life-course approach, that incorporate the extension of longevity and re-examine existing structures. The Decade offers such an opportunity as it benefits and it engages multiple sectors at multiple levels, both current and future generations of older people.
Earlier this year, Member States endorsed the timeline for the fourth review and appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing; a landmark document for building an inclusive society for all ages. The Decade builds on the Madrid Plan of Action and will draw on its reporting mechanism. As the Second World Assembly on Ageing approaches its 20-year milestone, DESA is mobilizing its capacities and expertise to produce two flagship outputs on ageing: population ageing megatrend in 2021 and of the world social report on ageing in 2022.
DESA continues to support the General Assembly’s working group for the purpose of strengthening the protection of the human rights of older persons. Over the years, the Working Group has engaged in substantive discussions on equality and non-discrimination; violence, neglect and abuse; but also autonomy and independence; long-term care and palliative care. Already in 2018, DESA and WHO jointly held a side event on the Decade at the Working Group, in collaboration with Japan and Chile.
Health in older age is not random. Much of that diversity is related to inequality or disadvantage accumulated across the lifecourse and into old age due to socioeconomic status, gender or location. People retain the right to enjoy the “highest attainable standard of health” as they age, and the Decade provides an opportunity to shift in focusing from considering healthy ageing as merely the absence of disease to fostering the functional ability that enables older people to be and to do what they value.
Looking ahead, what do we see? In his reports to the General Assembly on “follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing,” the Secretary-General has briefed you all over the past three years on progress related to the Decade. DESA will continue its commitment to lead the facilitation of the Inter-Agency Group on Ageing; an informal network of United Nations entities, to enhance collaboration on the Decade.
The potential of older persons is a powerful basis for sustainable development. We look forward to engaging with all of you in moving forward with the Decade of Healthy Ageing. This is a moment that we need to seize, to ensure the health, well-being, social and economic inclusion and rights of older people everywhere.
Thank you.