Asia-Pacific, Development & Aid, Global, Global Geopolitics, Global Governance, Headlines, Human Rights, Population

Q&A: South-South Cooperation Key to Tackling Ageing Populations

N. Janardhan interviews Jose Miguel Guzman, Chief, Population and Development Division, UNFPA

DOHA, Jun 7 2009 (IPS) - While explaining the reasons for rapid economic growth during the last decade and showcasing their potential for future development, many developing countries in Asia and Latin America highlight the strength of their youth population. But, they are also increasingly becoming aware of their aging populations – which could be converted into a source of strength rather than a liability.

Though the developed countries are still home to the most rapidly ageing populations, developing countries are set to outpace this trend rapidly. It is estimated that by 2020, over 70 percent of the people aged 60 years and above will be in developing countries.

To highlight the issues related to this phenomenon and to encourage all relevant actors to take proactive action, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development conducted a seminar on “Family Support Networks and Population Ageing.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, which was held in collaboration with Northwestern University and the United Nations Programme on Ageing, Jose Miguel Guzman underlined the efforts of UNFPA, the challenges it faces and its plans for the future.

IPS: Is population ageing a social, economic or cultural problem? JOSE MIGUEL GUZMAN: It is important to clarify that population ageing is not a problem in itself. It is a natural process. It is a consequence of an evolving societal process, which should be observed, understood and addressed. It is also wrong to identify ageing with issues linked to just old people or ‘grandparents’; it is an issue that should deal with all those who need help because of advancing age. Of course, this process has negative effects, but ageing is basically a result of demographic change and is rooted in positive developments like better healthcare leading to higher life expectancy and its ramifications.

While this process was gradual in the developed countries, it has been and will be rapid in the developing countries (for example, by 2050, China is expected to have over 300 million people above the age of 60 – which is almost as much as the entire current U.S. population). Further, unlike the developed countries, developing countries do not have a social security system to handle this increasing proportion of older people. In this sense, lack of effective remedial mechanisms or a safety net has been portrayed as a combination of social, economic and cultural problems – which societies and governments have not been ready to deal with, but should do so proactively to avoid adverse consequences.

IPS: What role has the UNFPA played to address these challenges? JMG: The common perception is that we are waking up to this phenomenon only in recent years. In reality, however, the efforts to counter its impact dates back to at least 1982 when the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing was adopted. Remember, it was a period when ageing was an issue only for developed countries – and a very distant reality for developing countries. This was followed by the Madrid Plan in 2002, which underlined the right of ageing populations to a ‘good’ life.

In between, the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in 1994 at Cairo. The key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999 – for addressing challenges of population ageing in the 21st century. UNFPA’s activities are conducted within this framework.

The focus since then has been on helping countries accept the recommendations, which all of them are not ready for. In particular, studies on ageing population are non-existent in many countries. China, Thailand and Cambodia, among others, are good examples of Asian countries that have conducted studies, as have some Latin American countries. The UNFPA is addressing this by encouraging more countries to start this important exercise as a first step.

Further, the UNFPA is helping countries develop national policies and laws dealing with this issue. For example, we helped the Dominican Republic government’s efforts to implement a law that existed in principle – but remained unimplemented for a decade.

We have also incorporated several programmes in Panama, Paraguay, Brazil and Mexico, among others. Though we do not have expertise in social security – which is a major issue – we are working with various governments to design and implement viable schemes.

IPS: Capacity building is considered a key to tackling this issue. How has this been coordinated and how successful has it been? JMG: The UNFPA approaches capacity building through research, training, data collection, as well as assistance in policy making and implementation of laws. For example, we were active in setting up the International Institute of Ageing in Malta. We also train people working on ageing-related policies in their countries and support the United Nations Programme on Ageing, which targets national focal points.

Capacity building assumes greater importance because it transcends availability of economic resources. Even high-income countries in the developing world, such as the Gulf countries in the Middle East, need to have trained people in healthcare and care-giving facilities, for example, to handle population ageing.

Since the use of care-giving institutions for the elderly is not very popular in many parts of Asia, the Middle East and South America, the challenge is to address this cultural factor. Among the alternatives that should be devised and considered are community-level programmes that have been developed by others. For example, some developed countries have conclusively proved that merely ‘talking’ to elders gives them a sense of participation – thereby keeping them in better health. They could also be engaged in activities that may or may not generate income, or be introduced to information technology tools, including access to e-mails, Internet and Web-based social networks. Such measures of integration into society through setting up of community rooms could be adapted in developing countries because they do not require too many resources.

IPS: What trends have UNFPA observed and encouraged in terms of collaborative efforts between various groups and countries? JMG: As part of our South-South cooperation efforts, the UNFPA is promoting sharing of experiences and practices between and among countries. We are encouraging comparative studies at the regional level and highlighting successful programmes in various countries so that others become aware of them and explore their adaption in some form or the other. For example, in Latin America, Cuba’s daycare centres for the elderly, Argentina’s community-level support systems and Brazil’s pension system in rural areas are all meritorious practices that are worth considering. We also think the efforts of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in setting up conferences and training for regional governmental and intergovernmental groups are a good example.

At a micro level, we also serve as an advocacy group and support non- governmental organisations and their interaction at the national, regional and global levels.

IPS: Asian and Latin American countries figure high on the UNFPA’s agenda. What about Africa? JMG: Population ageing in Africa is not a pressing concern yet, but we are looking at future scenarios. UNFPA is already working on some integrated programmes related to HIV/AIDS and its impact on the role of grandparents in the upbringing of grandchildren.