UN chief backs elderly
The National, Wednesday October 2nd, 2013
UNITED Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on countries to allow older people to fully participate in the communities.
This is part of his message to commemorate International Day of Older Persons.
He said while people committed to removing barriers to older people, their rights and dignity should be protected as well.
“We often hear people talk about revering older persons for their wisdom, but older persons want to have a voice,” Ban said.
“The plea was made in our consultation process for the post-2015 development agenda.
“The United Nations has heard from more than a million people, including many older persons.
“They are calling for a world where all have food, shelter, clean water and sanitation and access to basic health services and education.
“I have included these messages in my vision for a transformative post-2015 development agenda, which is set out in my report, “A Life of Dignity for All”.
“There is broad recognition that population ageing presents both a significant opportunity and a challenge.
“The opportunity is to benefit from the many contributions older persons make to society.
“The challenge is to act on this understanding now through the adoption of policies that promote social inclusion and inter-generational solidarity.
“The 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals is fast approaching while discussions on shaping a vision for development beyond that date are intensifying.
“In this effort, we must address shifting demographics, especially the needs of the world’s increasing number of older persons.”