China National Committee On Ageing--The Arab Plan of Action on Ageing to the Year 2012（3）

II. THE ARAB PLAN OF ACTION ON AGEING TO THE YEAR 2012

A. PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES

38. The Arab Plan of Action on Ageing consists of three parts. The first part details the situation of older persons in all fields, using certain indicators which evaluate the status of implementation of the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing and the 1993 Regional Plan of Action on Ageing and analyses the difficulties faced by Arab countries in this regard. The second part identifies priorities for improving the situation of older persons in the region in the forthcoming decade, and puts forward the measures and initiatives that must be taken to this end by the Arab Governments. The third part focuses on implementation and follow-up mechanisms and the undertakings with regard to such measures that have been given at national, regional and international level.

39. The most important elements of the Arab Plan of Action on Ageing represent the regional dimension and the particularities of the Arab region, while being premised on the broad lines of the International Plan of Action on Ageing that will be discussed in Madrid. However, the multi-dimensional Arab Plan deals with the priorities and needs of older women and men in the Arab world and proposes a number of measures and initiatives, including (a) social measures to support and affirm the role of the family in caring for older persons, ensure the effective involvement of civil society institutions in this regard and achieve gender equality and equity among older persons; (b) economic measures which focus on the elimination of poverty among older persons, take action to include them in the labour market, albeit partially, and ensure access to continuing income and education; (c) legislative measures which include the modernization of protection and social security systems, without discrimination on the basis of age or gender; the review and updating of existing legislation; and formulation of new policies to keep abreast of rapid developments; (d) environmental measures to prepare an appropriate, enabling environment which is free of obstacles; (e) health and mental health measures to raise awareness and with regard to nutrition, prophylaxis and treatment; (f) political measures to address the concerns of Arab countries raised by continuing occupation policies and, in particular, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Syrian Arab Golan and the remaining part of South Lebanon, and continued Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people; sanctions; the burden of armed conflicts, wars and violence, all of which have adverse effects on older women and men.

40. The Arab region is undergoing rapid change at all levels, and this will have numerous consequences for the situation of older persons and on their level of well-being and contentment. With respect to demographic changes, which will increase in the current quarter of a century, the area is expected to witness a change in the nature and proportion of support. Because of the rapid fall in the fertility rate and the consequent large reduction in the proportion of children aged under 15 and increase in life expectancy at birth, greater support will be required for older persons than for children.

41. As a consequence of the increase in the proportion of the population represented by older persons and their increased longevity, there will be a large increase in the number of widowed women, it being statistically proven that, on average, women live longer than men. The number of persons aged over 60 years currently represents 5.6 per cent of the population in the Arab world, of which 2.6 per cent are men and 3 per cent are women. By the year 2025, this figure is expected to rise to 8.9 per cent throughout the Arab world, of which 4.3 per cent will be men and 4.6 will be women. The proportion of older women in Arab communities will therefore be much higher than previously. This phenomenon is being referred to as “feminization of ageing”.

42. There is little doubt that the anticipated changes in the age structure, namely, increased life expectancy and an ageing population, will prompt further changes that will affect the lives of individuals and the socioeconomic lifestyles of the community. Most older persons will be in good health and therefore capable of productive work. Governments will therefore need to reconsider national policies with a view to adapting them to new realities and solving the problems caused thereby.

43. As a result of the changes to which the Arab countries have been exposed, the family is faced with numerous problems which prevent it from carrying out its general duties and functions, especially the task of caring for older persons. Those changes have also exacerbated the difficulties with which older persons and, in particular, older women, have to cope within their families, including the deteriorating material and social situation of the family caused by the application of economic reform policies and infrastructural adjustment programmes; the high rate of youth migration from rural areas; and the changes in values which have taken place, causing older persons to be displaced from the theatre of vital events and held in disregard. All these factors have led to an increase in the suffering of older persons caused by lack of personal, domestic or social security and diminished their ability to cope with current situations. Arab voluntary organizations have begun to play an increasingly important role in caring for older persons, which has helped to improve their quality of life, integrate them into the community and strengthen their position within the family.

44. Even now, the pressing issue of ageing and older persons does not receive the attention it deserves from socio-economic policy makers, decision makers and executives in Arab countries, in contrast to issues relating to, inter alia, the child, youth, the labour force and women. Researchers, academics and research centres in Arab countries do not focus on the issue in their work. Ageing-related issues must be properly researched, data produced and existing policies and planning reviewed if the challenges are to be faced intelligently, practically and effectively. A summary of the challenges which define the priorities of the Arab Plan and form its central axis are set forth below:

(a) The Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (1982) and the Regional Plan of Action on Ageing (1993) must be followed up and implemented; work must begin on implementation of the Arab Plan of Action on Ageing to the Year 2012 and the International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002; and the necessary budgetary allocations must be made for the purpose;

(b) Legislation and ageing-related policies must be reviewed and updated, a comprehensive plan must be formulated and ageing-related issues must be mainstreamed into social policies;

(c) Awareness must be raised in Arab countries of the issue of the ageing population and, in particular of the increase in the proportion of older women or “feminization of ageing”, and preparations must be made to deal with the issue before it becomes a problem;

(d) The family must be supported in its role of caring for older persons and guaranteeing intergenerational continuity and solidarity;

(e) There must be coordination between the various national parties, with a view to dealing with ageing-related issues and creating the necessary mechanisms; the focus must be on the integration of the roles of the family, civil society and Governments in caring for older persons;

(f) Older persons, as human capital, must be encouraged to continue their contributions to productive work. They must be guaranteed employment opportunities, it being clear that their employment will not have a negative impact on the employment opportunities available to youth. A distinction must be made between incapacitated older persons and older persons who are still productive;

(g) All forms of discrimination on the basis of age and gender must be eliminated in order to achieve equality and equity with respect to the human rights of older men and older women and, in particular, with respect to retirement age for women and men while allowing for some flexibility therein, in social security systems and other forms of social protection and in employment, training and reskilling systems;

(h) Social security and protection schemes must be reviewed and restructured, security programmes must be designed to meet the actual needs of older persons and health insurance for older persons must be introduced;

(i) Additional Government support must be provided in order to enable families to take care of older persons and provide older persons with housing;

(j) The necessary demographic and health indicators must be formulated and developed, and must be reliable and disaggregated by gender in order to follow up and implement the Arab Plan of Action on Ageing;

(k) Programmes and activities must be reviewed and initiatives must be taken in order to reach older persons and, in particular, the inhabitants of rural and remote areas;

(l) Special commodities and services must be produced or imported in order to meet the ageingspecific basic needs of older persons. Primary and secondary health care services must be developed in order to guarantee the complete well-being of older persons in all regions, including rural, remote and desert areas;

(m) Older women and, in particular, poor older women, must be empowered, and socio-economic empowerment programmes must be formulated for that purpose;

(n) Legally authoritative measures must be put in place with a view to alleviating poverty and addressing the negative impact of armed conflicts, violence and displacement on older persons and, in particular, older women, and on the provision of services to such persons;

(o) Activities of civil society institutions including NGOs must be supported, because such organizations are a basic partner in the process of development, in implementing policies designed to improve the situation of older persons and in providing social welfare services to them within their families;

(p) Investigative and diagnostic studies and research must be carried out with a view to gaining information on the situation and needs of older persons.

B. PRINCIPLES, THEMES AND OBJECTIVES

45. The Arab Plan of Action on Ageing is based on the fundamental principles that govern the development process, namely, to improve the quality of life, build a society for all ages and ensure the right to development. It respects religious convictions, Arab values and traditions and the family cohesion which have been affirmed by the Arab Charter for Social Work and the Strategy for Social Work in the Arab Countries. It is guided by the United Nations principles relating to the strengthening of participation, provision of care, upholding of dignity and independence of older persons, who must be empowered to become self-reliant rather than dependent on others. The Plan is based on the following themes and objectives:

(a) Reference must be made to Arab, regional and international experiences, expertise and programmes when formulating appropriate national and regional plans and policies;

(b) Issues relating to older persons and their needs must be mainstreamed into social and economic policies, and comprehensive, integrated policies for social development must be formulated, with the focus on the principle of solidarity and social responsibility;

(c) Appropriate policies, plans and work programmes must be formulated in order to bring about a “society for all ages”, while respecting the traditions, values and socio-economic conditions prevailing in the region;

(d) All forms of discrimination must be eliminated in order to achieve gender equality in rights and responsibilities, and the economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights of older persons must be guaranteed, pursuant to international conventions;

(e) Ageing-related plans and policies must be re-oriented in recognition of the fact that such persons are productive elements and valuable social and human capital. Their integration must be assured through the adoption of comprehensive socio-economic policies which strengthen the unity of the community and guarantee the complete and effective participation of older person in religious, political, economic and social life. Ageing must be considered as a type of ongoing investment;

(f) Sophisticated and modern social security and protection systems must be put in place and ensure that older women and men are able to live a life of dignity on an equal footing;

(g) Special attention must be accorded to older women and, in particular, poor older women and marginalized groups, including refugees, persons with special needs and youth, in order to provide a secure old age and alleviate poverty among older men and women;

(h) Cooperation with civil society institutions, including NGOs, must be supported and strengthened, in order to enable them to carry out their duty to provide social welfare services for older persons and seek their active involvement therein;

(i) Life-long opportunities for individual development must be made available at all stages of life, including in old age, pursuant to the principle of the right of every individual to development;

(j) Focus must be given to the concepts of life-long education, training and re-training when formulating education, capacity-building and rehabilitation policies, and ageing-specific plans targeting both women and men must be drawn up;

(k) The importance must be reaffirmed of solidarity and inter-generational comunication and dialogue in maintaining social cohesion and family unity, the complementarity in roles of family members must be reaffirmed and the financial resources and capacity of the family to take care of older persons must be enhanced;

(l) Studies and research must be undertaken on older persons and their concerns, problems and aspirations;

(m) A dynamic, up-to-date, gender-disaggregated database on older persons must be developed and keep abreast of the rapid socio-economic and demographic changes in the region;

(n) The technical cooperation necessary in order to implement, follow up and evaluate ageingrelated plans and work programmes must be made available.

C. STIPULATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

46. The stipulations and recommendations of the Arab Plan centre around the three priority directions of the International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002, namely, (a) older persons and development; (b) advancing health and well-being into old age; and (c) ensuring enabling and supportive environments.

47. While the Arab Plan is premised on those priority directions, it also includes, in addition to the general matters addressed by the International Plan, other ageing-specific concerns prompted by the particularities of Arab society. A number of issues, goals and measures for implementation at Government, NGO and regional and international organization level fall under each of those priority directions.

Priority directions

(a) Older persons and development

48. Pursuant to the principles contained in the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Istanbul Declaration and the Habitat Agenda, the recommendations made by the Millennium Summit, the special sessions held by the United Nations General Assembly five years after the convening of each of those global conferences and other international conferences held in the 1990s, which emphasized the importance of eradicating poverty, an attempt must be made to involve older persons in the socio-economic development process. This is in order to ensure that such development has a positive impact on society and that the negative effects of globalization, economic adjustment and modernization processes are limited. The necessary arrangements must also be made to integrate older persons into society; they must no longer be marginalized or allowed to fall by the wayside of the road towards development; if their productive capacities are wasted, they will become an additional burden on society.

Issue 1: Active participation in society and development

49. Building a society for all ages requires that older persons are given the opportunity to continue to be involved in the affairs of society. Therefore, society must recognize and appreciate their contribution and give them the opportunity to participate in social, economic, cultural and voluntary affairs and encourage intergenerational interaction.

50. Objective 1: Recognition of the social, cultural, economic and political contribution of older persons.

Actions

(a) Acknowledge and encourage the contribution of older persons to family and community;

(b) Encourage older persons to participate in Government and social, cultural and voluntary activities, to the extent to which their abilities allow;

(c) Raise awareness by media campaigns of the social and economic productivity of older persons and in recognition of their contribution to their communities;

(d) Highlight good practices and examples of sound initiatives and contributions made by older persons;

(e) Support civil society institutions in order to enable them to include older persons in their programmes and activities.

51. Objective 2: Participation of older persons in decision-making processes at all levels.

Actions

(a) Enable older persons to participate in decision-making processes and, in particular, with respect to issues of concern to their lives;

(b) Establish organizations for older persons and make those that already exist more effective in representing such persons in the decision-making process;

Issue 2: Work and the ageing labour force

52. The principle of life-long development and self-realization requires all persons to enjoy access to equal opportunities and continue working for as long as they are able. Action to provide older persons with employment opportunities and eliminate all forms of the discrimination to which such persons are subjected on the basis of age or gender is therefore an essential precondition in building a society for all ages. Care must also be given to older persons in rural areas, migrants and poor persons with no income.

53. Objective: Employment opportunities for all older persons who want to work.

Actions

(a) Provide employment opportunities for older persons in economic activities that are appropriate for their capacities;

(b) Provide opportunities for older persons to take up part-time employment; and encourage the private sector to employ them, while allowing them, to retain their pension benefits;

(c) Facilitate the access of older persons to loans and credit facilities in order to enable such persons to be self-employed; assist income-generating and productive projects in which older women who support their families and, in particular, widows and divorcees, may be involved;

(d) Make the necessary arrangements to assist older persons in marketing their products;

(e) Assist older persons who work in the informal sector to improve their income, productivity and working conditions;

(f) Take into consideration the special needs of older men and older women, and those who live alone.

Issue 3: Income security and a decent life for older women and older men

54. The adoption of a modern, sophisticated social security system is essential in advancing societies and guaranteeing peoples their social and economic rights. Social protection systems must also be introduced in order to complement social security policies for the protection of persons who do not benefit from the social security system. Such persons are more vulnerable than others to the economic upheavals to which many Arab countries are liable.

55. Objective: To modernize social security systems and old-age pensions.

Actions

(a) Guarantee gender equality and equity in protection and security schemes and review the compulsory retirement age for women and men while allowing for some flexibility therein;

(b) Ensure protection for non-economically active older persons and take action to meet their existential requirements;

(c) Review, develop and enact social security legislation in a manner that will meet the needs of older persons; provide financial assistance to older persons who do not benefit from the social security system;

(d) Provide financial assistance to older persons who are not beneficiaries of social security schemes and ensure retirees a supplementary income that will provide them with a decent standard of living;

(e) Take action to ensure that the system of pensions based on contributions includes an increased proportion of workers from the formal and informal sectors; ensure the security and transparency of official pensions systems and their ability to meet their obligations;

(f) Design innovative social protection programmes in favour of workers outside the formal sector of the economy, including those who provide care without being remunerated;

(g) Ensure gender equality and equity in social security systems;

(h) Take urgent action to organize protection in order to guarantee a minimum income to older persons with no other source of income and, in particular, those who live alone and are more vulnerable to poverty;

(i) Take measures to control the impact of galloping inflation on retirement pensions and savings and link it to the rise in the cost of living;

(j) Consider establishing a general pensions scheme which is funded by public revenue rather than based on contributions;

(k) Develop indicators to monitor and measure progress achieved in reducing the incidence of poverty.

Issue 4: The eradication of poverty of older women and men

56. In Arab countries, older persons and, in particular, older women are the sector of the population most disadvantaged by poverty, in rural areas, city environs and poor urban neighbourhoods alike.

Notwithstanding the earnest endeavours made by all the Arab countries to overcome this problem, few have the capacity to alleviate the suffering of the majority of the older persons living in the region.

57. Objective: Reduction of poverty and alleviation of its impact on older persons.

Actions

(a) Take into consideration the special needs of older women and very old persons living alone;

(b) Assist older persons to find employment opportunities, in order to avoid poverty;

(c) Take the necessary measures and design innovative programmes to reduce poverty among older persons and alleviate their suffering;

(d) Support small income-generating projects undertaken by older persons.

Issue 5: Rural development, migration and urbanization

58. Older persons in rural areas suffer from the inadequacy of the basic infrastructure and the weakness of the economic base. They also suffer from the loss of traditional family support caused by the migration of young people to the cities. This situation further marginalizes and increases the suffering of older persons and, in particular, older women.

59. Objective 1: Improvement of life conditions and infrastructure in rural communities and promotion of links between urban and rural areas.

Actions

(a) Provide all forms of support for ageing farmers, with a view to enabling them to continue their work and improve its yield;

(b) Encourage the establishment of rural cooperatives for the marketing and distribution of agricultural produce and supply of agricultural inputs at competitive prices;

(d) Guarantee protection for non-economically active older persons and, in particular, women, and take action to meet their basic needs.

60. Objective 2: Integration of older migrants into their new communities.

Actions

(a) Design arrangements, including pension benefits, to assist older migrants in making their economic security sustainable;

(b) Guarantee the right of young migrants to contribute to pension systems upon return to their country of origin;

(c) Make arrangements at local community level, including the establishment of centres for older persons, in order to prevent or mitigate the negative effects of urbanization.

Issue 6: Access to education and training

61. Education is one of the basic dimensions of sustainable development. If a knowledge-based society is to be brought into being, policies must be adopted that give life-long access to education and training.

Continuing education and training are essential to ensure the continuing productivity of communities.

62. Objective 1: Equality of opportunity throughout life with respect to continuing education, training, retraining and vocational guidance.

Actions

(a) Provide older persons with the opportunity to continue their studies without discrimination;

(b) Arrange training courses for older persons in the use of information technology;

(c) Increase the number of training and retraining programmes in order to enable older persons to continue in productive employment;

(d) Introduce ageing-related issues in academic curricula and use community training in order to prepare young people for the various stages of life.

63. Objective 2: Full utilization of the potential of people of all ages.

Actions

(a) Empower older persons to work as mentors and advisors;

(b) Encourage older volunteers to employ their skills with all generations in order to give the local community the benefit of their work experience;

(c) Provide the opportunity within education programmes for the exchange between generations of knowledge, expertise and use of modern technology;

(d) Encourage older persons to take advantage of the services provided by open universities;

(e) Organize media campaigns to raise awareness of the need to change common patterns of consumption and introduce ways and means of economizing and saving, highlighting their advantages and potential returns in fulfilling basic requirements in later life and after retirement.

Issue 7: Intergenerational solidarity

64. Intergenerational solidarity at all levels, including the family, community and society, is a guiding principle in building a society for all ages. It is also a basic condition for social cohesion. Moreover, strengthening intergenerational cooperation and solidarity is of the greatest importance in maintaining the unity and cohesion of society.

65. Objective 1: Strengthening intergenerational solidarity by interchange, communication and reciprocity.

Actions

(a) Organize media information campaigns for all age groups on the concept of old age;

(b) Develop initiatives to strengthen continuous intergenerational exchange and train young people in activities aimed at benefiting older persons within, inter alia, recreational and social clubs in educational establishments;

(d) Promote intergenerational reciprocity and exchange as a prerequisite for social development;

(e) Encourage young people to provide services for older persons as part of national service and civil education;

(f) Urge the new generation to care for older persons (rewards, financial assistance and stipends);

(g) Provide support for families that are caring for older persons with disabilities, who are retired or who have special needs.

(b) Maintaining health and well-being into old age

66. While the Arab countries have endeavoured to provide the health care necessary for older persons, they still need more vital services, including home medical and nursing care, more clinics and health centres for older persons and geriatric departments in hospitals. Preventative measures must be taken in order to protect older persons in their homes, including the application of safety standards to domestic utensils and food products. Awareness must be raised with respect to the excessive use of drugs and medicines. Men and women must have equal access to services, and the special needs of this population group must be taken into account. Geriatric diseases in women require special attention because women are more susceptible than men to osteoporosis and other ageing-related diseases. Women live longer than men and as a result, older women tend to become isolated and solitary, which has negative effects on their mental health.

Issue 1: Health and well-being throughout life

67. If older persons are to be comfortable and happy, it is essential that they remain in good health. Good health guarantees their independence and prevents them from becoming a burden to anyone else. Prevention and the postponement of illness and disability are not in the interest of the individual alone, but also benefit society as a whole by conserving resources. It is therefore essential to ensure that nutrition is good, prevention against disease is employed and the effects of pollution are controlled if the individual is to remain in good health throughout life.

68. Objective 1: Promotion of health and well-being throughout life and provision of health services to all regions without discrimination on the basis of age or gender.

Actions

(a) Give priority to improving the health of poor persons and marginalized population groups;

(b) Adopt the legislation and take the measures necessary to control all forms of pollution, reduce exposure to pollution from childhood and throughout life, monitor poor nutrition and put in place health standards;

(c) Make legislative arrangements to prevent the purchase of medicines without a prescription, in order to restrict excessive use;

(d) Combat the spread of harmful health practices, including smoking and alcoholism, poor nutrition and lack of physical activity, and focus on applying good health practices;

(e) Set goals for the improvement of older women’s health and postponement of disability that target the geriatric diseases, including osteoporosis, to which women are particularly prone.

69. Objective 2: Development of policies to prevent ill-health among older persons.

Actions

(a) Take preventative measures throughout life and focus on the application of good health practices;

(b) Take measures in public facilities to protect older men and women from falling;

(d) Prevail upon insurance companies to provide older women and men with low-cost health insurance;

(e) Raise the awareness of older persons and individuals within the community of health and preventive measures that will enable them to enjoy good physical and mental health and a happy old age;

(f) Focus on training older persons in self-care measures and on training workers to care for them;

(g) Organize awareness campaigns to inform the community of the needs and rights of older persons, the type of health and mental problems to which they are prone and how to deal with such problems;

(h) Take the necessary measures to provide older women and men with identification cards that will make it easier for them to receive preferential treatment in all types of facilities and hospitals.

70. Objective 3: Access to adequate nutrition for all older persons.

Actions

(a) Provide needy older persons with nutritious meals;

(b) Raise older persons’ awareness and encourage them to eat healthy, balanced meals;

(c) Promote good nutrition from childhood and throughout life, paying special attention to ensuring that women of child-bearing age are appropriately nourished;

(d) Make society in general and older persons in particular aware of the nutritional needs of older persons;

(e) Include the nutritional needs of older persons in the curricula of training programmes for all health and welfare professionals.

Issue 2: Universal and equitable access to health-care services

71. Older persons face legal, material and financial obstacles which prevent most of them from benefiting from the basic health care needed to protect them from the physical, mental and other diseases to which they are liable in later life. Governments, civil society and the private sector must therefore cooperate in order to adopt a comprehensive health insurance system, the services of which are available to all sectors of the population without discrimination on the basis of age, gender or financial capacities.

72. Objective 1: Ensuring that all older women and men have equitable access to health care without discrimination.

Actions

(a) Develop and enhance primary health care services to meet the needs of older persons and ensure that free or low-cost health treatment is available for all older persons who require it, in all regions, including rural and remote areas;

(b) Educate older persons and empower them to make effective use and choice of health services;

(c) Take the necessary measures to eliminate discrimination on the basis of age or gender with respect to the provision of health care and services;

(d) Provide older persons with the necessary information on the types of health service available and how best to make use of them;

(e) Provide medical, nursing and specialized geriatric medical services to older persons in their homes, and provide mobile health clinics to serve rural and remote areas;

(f) Provide older persons, as needed, with essential basic medicines, audio-visual appliances and dentures at little or no cost.

73. Objective 2: Development and strengthening of primary health-care services to meet the needs of older persons and ensure their inclusion in the development process.

Actions

(a) Support local communities in ensuring equal access for older persons to health care services;

(b) Integrate traditional medical practices into basic health care programmes wherever useful and appropriate;

(d) Enact legislation and establish mechanisms to regulate health services for older persons;

74. Objective 3: Involve older persons in the development and strengthening of primary and long-term health care services.

Actions

(a) Involve older persons in planning, implementing and evaluating health-care programmes;

(b) Make use of the capacities of older persons in the provision of primary and long-term health-care services;

(c) Update national records of qualified older persons who could be useful in supporting the voluntary sector and in the development process in general.

Issue 3: Training health-care professionals

75. The quality of the health-care system depends upon the quality of the qualified social and medical staff. It is therefore important to provide opportunities for ongoing training for workers in the geriatric field, and to establish geriatrics departments in order to train members of medical teams working with older persons, and to provide opportunities for access to information and the essential basic training.

76. Objective 1: Provision of information and training for health- and social-care professionals and paraprofessionals.

Actions

(a) Initiate and promote training programmes relating to geriatrics;

(b) Establish specialized geriatrics departments in hospitals, introduce geriatrics-related academic and medical specializations and encourage students to specialize in that field;

(d) Provide medical and social care specialists with continuing education programmes on the health, well-being and care of older persons;

(e) Carry out and provide the necessary support for specialized studies and research.

Issue 4: Older persons and disabilities

77. The older population group is the one most susceptible to injuries that can cause physical or mental disability. This makes it essential to intensify efforts to encourage older persons to be independent and to rehabilitate them in order to enable them to participate fully in all aspects of society.

78. Objective 1: Train older persons with special needs to maintain a minimum level of employment skills throughout their lives, and take action to completely involve older persons in the community and provide them with appropriate care.

Actions

(a) Provide training and appropriate care for older persons with special needs, in order to enable them to obtain their right to services and assistance and be fully integrated into the community;

(b) Raise awareness in the community and among older persons of the causes of disability and provide information on ways of guarding against disability at various stages of life;

(c) Develop psychiatric treatment programmes and disseminate information on the diseases of old age and on older persons with special needs;

(d) Provide easy access for all older persons to types of treatment that are capable of mitigating levels of disability, including cataract removal and hip replacement;

(e) Provide older persons with physical disabilities with protheses at little or no cost;

(f) Create the environment and provide the services that will enable older persons with special needs to adapt to their environment.

79. The creation of an enabling and supportive environment for all ages is a basic human rights goal.

Whatever their circumstances, all older persons have the right to live in an environment that enhances their capabilities and empowers them to contribute to the development of their local communities. This includes easy access to essential services, including housing that is appropriate to their functional capacities and enables them to move freely, and the provision of all types of support for older persons in need. The data show that the provision of an enabling and supportive environment is almost non-existent in most Arab countries, while all countries continue to rely on the family of the older person to provide accommodation.

The Arab family remains the most able and willing social institution to satisfy the moral and material needs of such a person and his need to belong and feel secure. The continued presence of older persons within the family plays a positive part in upholding of positive values which impacts on social and domestic upbringing. Family members are assured of guidance, care and affection, and the tendency towards isolation which has undermined certain ideal family values is countered. Some Arab countries have led the way in providing other persons with the financial resources necessary to continue to live in the houses they own or with relatives, providing them with free housing or offering their families incentives to continue to support them.

80. With respect to social welfare, the data indicate that most Arab countries are providing financial support for NGOs concerned with older persons and have taken the measures necessary to exempt them from taxes, remove tariff barriers on their purchases and provide older persons with opportunities to contribute to the development of their local communities.

81. The provision of the majority of the basic social services continues to be the preserve of the Government sector, because of its central role; while the civil society sector, charity and religious associations take part in providing services to older persons. Some Arab countries have pioneered the establishment of recreational clubs in which older persons may pursue their hobbies. They have also established cooperatives which provide social welfare services and provided incentives to encourage young people to take part in caring for older persons. Nevertheless, there is a continuing need in Arab countries for priority to be given to care for older persons and, in particular, those who have lost their families as the result of wars and armed conflict and the occupation by force of Arab land by providing surrogate families, an emergency hotline and other innovative initiatives.

Issue 1: Housing and the living environment

82. The Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and the Habitat Agenda established the goal of adequate shelter for all. The residence is the natural place for older persons within an environment that grants them the necessary care and ensures them of a stable life and mental security. Older persons need housing that is appropriate to their functional capacities in order to be able to move around easily; while due consideration must be given to the appropriate environment, design, cost and the related public facilities which must serve all the generations. Attention must be given to providing older person-friendly methods of transport which are appropriate to their needs and functional capacities and enable them to reach service centres.

83. Objective 1: Access to housing in the local environment.

Actions

(a) Adapt the basic local environment to ensure that every generation is appropriately housed;

(b) Grant credit facilities or tax reductions to families that care for older family members, in order to enable them to build or buy housing on concessional loans;

(d) Make available appropriate and affordable housing and allow older persons to choose freely and independently between them, identifying the specifications and locations that best meet their requirements;

(e) Provide older persons with credit facilities in order to enable them to make alterations to their homes and remove obstacles to their free circulation therein;
(f) Provide financial support for older persons who wish to live in special housing or with relatives; Link affordable housing with social support services;

(g) Create a special gender-disaggregated database on housing that caters for age and disability.

84. Objective 2: The creation of a friendly environment.

Actions

(a) Take into consideration the needs and capacities of older persons when designing public buildings and facilities to be free of barriers;

(b) Use appropriate design in order to produce age-integrated housing and public places;

85. Objective 3: Availability of transportation friendly to older women and men.

Actions

(a) Import, construct or re-design methods of transport that are adequate and appropriate for the needs of older persons in all areas; and vehicles for the personal use of older persons with special needs to empower them to become independent and self-reliant;

(b) Design safer roads that facilitate the movement of traffic and take into consideration the safety of older persons;

Issue. 2: Social welfare

86. Older persons need social welfare that permits them to live with dignity. The State must extend the range of financial and moral services that it provides, support the relevant institutions and organizations and provide the services which will allow older persons to be involved, like other generations, in the development of their local communities. It is worth pointing out here that Arab society is afflicted with wars, armed conflicts and political instability, which may impose on older persons the obligation of caring for children and orphans and even the responsibilities entailed by being head of a household, namely, supporting and caring for that household.

87. Objective: Provision of integrated social welfare.

Actions

(a) Provide opportunities for strengthened intergenerational relations and connections through social work within local communities;

(b) Provide good social welfare services in order to assist older migrant returnees to readjust to their original environment;

(c) Provide nursing homes for older persons, put in place special standards for such homes, develop programmes and their administrative and organizational structure, and allocate the necessary financial and qualified human resources;

(d) Train social welfare specialists and social workers in the care of older persons;

(e) Enable older persons to participate in social, cultural and recreational activities and establish social, cultural and recreational clubs to meet their needs;

(f) Urge young people to participate in the provision of services and social care for older persons and encourage older persons to contribute to activities organized for their benefit;

(g) Promote the establishment of associations, cooperatives and leagues for older persons and provide financial support and trained personnel to work in them;

(h) Develop the existing forms of institutional welfare and care and make them available to greater numbers of needy older persons and create new patterns of care including surrogate families, home care and companions;

(i) Provide ageing-specific guidance and advisory services;

(j) Formulate programmes to prepare older persons for retirement and to protect against disability;

(k) Encourage older persons to do voluntary work and self-help.

Issue 3: Abuse

88. Older persons and especially older women, may be subjected to psychological, financial and even physical abuse, for which they are too frightened to seek help. As a result, their health and living conditions deteriorate. Efforts must therefore be made to limit all forms of abuse and put in place legislation and laws that will provide older women and men with protection.

89. Objective 1: Elimination of the abuse of older persons.

Actions

(a) Monitor the incidence of the abuse of older persons, with a view to restricting it, and take the necessary measures to eliminate such abuse in order to uphold older persons’ dignity and rights;

(b) Enact legislation to protect older persons in those Arab countries where such legislation does not exist;

(d) Organize awareness campaigns on the abuse of older persons and ways of preventing it, raise awareness and inform older persons of the issue of citizenship, civil rights and ways in which consumers are cheated;

(e) Make available an emergency hotline for older persons who are being subjected to violence or experiencing a medical crisis.

Issue 4: Images of ageing

90. With advancing age, the issue of remaining in good health becomes ever more significant and prompts an increased demand for health care, pensions and other social services. With the rising cost of such services, older persons are being projected as a drain and a burden on the economy, and the positive view, concepts and evaluation based on respect for older persons and their experience has been replaced by an image of weakness and dependency. Such negative, harmful notions must be counteracted and efforts must be made to re-establish respect in the community for older persons.

91. Objective 1: Enhancement of the image of ageing.

Actions

(a) Encourage the mass media to portray older persons in a positive light and highlight their contribution to society; organize awareness campaigns on ageing as one phase of the life cycle; and encourage the younger generations and older persons to maintain interaction and communication;

(b) Ensure that scholastic books contain information on the contribution to society of all age groups;

(c) Encourage the paying of tribute to older persons, by organizing public ceremonies in which individuals of all ages participate;

(d) Strengthen the role and mobilize the resources of NGOs dealing with ageing issues, and involve older persons in their work not just as beneficiaries thereof, but as effective actors in their programmes and services.

Issue 5: Support for family care

92. The Arab family is undergoing a number of changes which hamper the performance of its role of caring for older persons and exacerbate many of the mental, health and social problems that restrict the ability of older persons to adapt to new circumstances. Such changes also restrict the various roles that older persons can perform both within and outside the family.

93. Objective: To strengthen and support the cohesion of the Arab family.

Actions

(a) Enact legislation to ensure that older persons are cared for within their own families and live a life of dignity;

(b) Create family awareness campaigns on living with and caring for older persons;

(c) Support the role of the family in caring for older persons by reinforcing customs, traditions and values which promote respect for older persons and care of them by the family;

(d) Provide financial support and social services for the family in order to enable it to take care of its older members and for the older persons themselves, in order to enable them to continue to live in their own homes;

(e) Provide special support for older widows and never-married women and identify the ways and means of meeting the social, economic and psychological needs of older women;

(f) Encourage all forms of the media to strengthen the role of the family and uphold it as the natural domain and basic environment for the care of older persons;

(g) Provide help in the form of social assistance, guidance and information for individuals and families who are caring for older persons and reaffirm the positive role played by grandmothers and grandfathers in raising their grandchildren.

Issue 6: The role of NGOs and other civil society institutions

94. Best use of the resources available to provide comprehensive care for older persons may be made by combining the efforts of and coordinating between all sectors of the community. While governmental organizations continue to play the leading role in this field, all civil society institutions have a complementary part to play in support of Governments. This role must be developed and strengthened if care for older persons is to reach the level desired.

95. Objective: Support for NGOs and other civil society institutions concerned with ageing.

Actions

(a) Provide financial support and grant tariff reductions and tax exemptions for NGOs and other civil society institutions dealing with ageing issues;

(b) Encourage civil society organizations to design and develop special welfare programmes for older persons;

(c) Put in place a national mechanism for cooperation and coordination between all governmental and non-governmental organizations dealing with ageing issues;

(d) Develop standards and criteria to organize and regulate the work of welfare institutions which care for older persons;

(e) Encourage the participation of NGOs and civil society institutions, enhance their role and mobilize their resources in implementing national plans on ageing;

(f) Issue civil society identification cards to involve older persons in the activities of NGOs as effective players in their services and programmes, rather than mere beneficiaries thereof.

Issue 7: Mainstreaming older women’s issues into social development programmes

96. Demographic changes have brought an increase in the number of older women: there are more older women than older men, because their life expectancy is greater. A woman’s situation becomes more critical as she gets older, particularly after the loss of her husband, because she normally faces social, cultural and legislative obstacles to enjoyment of her social and economic rights. Women are therefore in need of special assistance.

97. Objective: Formulation of special older women-related programmes to ensure they are able to live a life of dignity.

Actions

(a) Take into consideration the special needs of older and ageing women and those who live alone;

(b) Facilitate the access of older women to loans and credit facilities for in order to enable them to start their own businesses; and provide financial assistance to women working in the informal sector;

(d) Establish and support productive projects in which the participants are older women heads of households and, in particular, widows and divorced women in all regions; provide financial assistance to grandmothers who are taking care of or supporting their grandchildren as the result of war or for other reasons;

(e) Eliminate all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender from laws and legislation and in their application. Such discrimination limits the benefits accruing to older women from retirement pensions and their full participation in the development process;

(f) Provide protection for economically non-active older women, meet their subsistence needs and protect them from violence and abuse;

(g) Strengthen and develop the participation of older women in the decision-making process with respect to issues of relevance to their lives;

(h) Give older women the opportunity to acquire literacy or pursue education and training, with a view to materially empowering them to become independent;

(i) Encourage the participation of older women in the affairs of the local community.

Issue 8: Armed-conflicts, wars, occupation and sanctions

98. Objective: Provision of care and protection for older women and older men in situations of armed conflict, war, occupation and sanctions.

Actions

(a) Call upon the international community to take action to end the Israeli occupation and wars and sanctions in the Arab region, in accordance with the relevant international laws and resolutions and, in particular, those relating to the establishment of a Palestinian State with Al-Quds as its capital;

(b) Urge international organizations to undertake their responsibilities and intervene promptly to protect and guarantee the human rights of older persons suffering from occupation, sanctions regimes and war;

(c) Raise awareness of and recognize the resolution adopted in 1974 by the United Nations General Assembly concerning the protection of women and children in emergency and armed conflict;

(d) Make more effective the role of national Arab and international human rights associations in apprehending and bringing to justice war criminals who commit outrages against civilians, including older persons;

(e) Meet the basic needs of older persons affected by situations of armed conflict, war, occupation and sanctions;

(e) Give priority in relief plans to older persons and, in particular, older persons who are heads of households and ensure that they are provided with goods and services.