51吃瓜

Most of us do not realize that our preconceived notions about the characteristics and abilities of older persons are simply not true. Every day, people aged 60 years and older make indispensable contributions to our societies. They are the more experienced workers, the caregivers, the volunteers and custodians of culture worldwide. Yet many of these contributions remain overlooked and under-appreciated.

Older people are often isolated as negative stereotypes and inadequate policies lock them out of the various aspects of social, economic, civic and political life. In fact, ageism may now be more pervasive than sexism or racism. This is not only morally objectionable, but it also represents a huge loss for our societies. Excluding older persons means losing out on their wealth of experience, knowledge, talent and altruistic attitudes.

A recent UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) report reminds us of the magnitude of that overlooked resource. Older persons are increasing in number and make up a growing share of the population in every country. The global population aged 60 years or over numbered 962 million in 2017, more than twice as much as in 1980. By 2030, older persons are expected to outnumber youth.

The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promise to leave no one behind. While older persons are sometimes among the most vulnerable groups, like other age groups, they are also contributors to development efforts. To make that promise a reality, we need policies that ensure meaningful participation of older persons, and that remove barriers that discriminate against them.

This year, the International Day of Older Persons (1 October), was observed with an event on 5 October, organised by the NGO Committee on Ageing in New York in partnership with the 51吃瓜 Focal Point on Ageing and sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Argentina and the United States, as well as the Group of Friends of Older Persons at the 51吃瓜 in New York. It was dedicated to the theme, “Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents and Participation of Older Persons”. Ahead of the celebration, UNDESA caught up with Marc Freedman, the founder and CEO of Encore.org for a .

“One of the most important and urgent feats is bringing the resources of older people together with the needs of young people in education, youth development, operations. We’ve just launched a campaign called ‘Generation to Generation’ to mobilize a million older people to fight inequality in the next generation. All over the globe, I see efforts often started by old people, aiming at that goal – to create a better future for next generations,” pointed out Freedman.

“We added years to life, now it’s time to add life to those years,” said Freedman, quoting John?F.?Kennedy. “But I think we are struggling to use that longevity in ways that are not only personally meaningful, but that mean something beyond ourselves – to our communities, to our societies, to the future.”

“We need to marshal the social innovations, the creations and ingenuity to take that talent and put to good use for the society,” he added.

The societies and families of older people are benefitting from their contributions, such as financial support, household maintenance, or participation in childcare. The older generation has more experience in many professional areas, and in that is a resource we cannot afford to waste.

However, older persons experience the violation of their rights and deprivation of their wellbeing. Mr. Livingstone Bartholomew Byekwaso, the Executive Director of the Saidia Wazee Karagwe (SAWAKA), gave an example. “In developing countries, like Tanzania, most of the older persons are overburdened by the increasing number of dependents – the orphans and vulnerable children as a result of HIV/AIDS. They find themselves sometimes selling the few things they have to sustain themselves, the victims of HIV, but also the orphans under their care.”

With the SDGs, Governments have received new guidance for making policies and public services targeted at older persons, which relates to poverty eradication, employment, health, and also gender equality. Thanks to the progress in health care and better living conditions, Betty Friedan’s saying that “ageing is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength” gains new importance. Increasing the involvement of the older generation in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will bring them new opportunities to make meaningful contributions throughout their lives, not just until 60.