Facing the Facts: the truth about ageing and development
Age International – UK member of the global HelpAge network.
February 2015 :: 88 pages
Report available: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-8FwpWcVk4NdEdlZXM5dS1VdXc&usp=sharing

Foreword
We all know that we are living through a time of global population growth unprecedented in human history. The number of people in the world has doubled since 1970, and will grow further, from 7 to 10 billion, by 2050.

But less well-known is the fact that the world is ageing as well as growing. There are currently 868 million older people in the world, and by 2050 this number will have reached more than 2 billion – 21 per cent of the world’s population. And most will live in developing countries.

Yet, to listen to most discussions about international development, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was only younger people who mattered.

We have produced this publication because, while the number and proportion of older people in the world grows so dramatically, discussions about international development do not give sufficient consideration to its implications – to the challenges and opportunities this remarkable reality present.

The articles within this report represent a range of views from high profile thought leaders, development experts and academics, about how population ageing should be taken into account in development thinking. The message that resonates throughout the report is that older people have a right to be valued for who they are, have needs that must be taken into account and are a global asset, making contributions to their families and communities that need to be recognised and supported.

It is worth noting that there have been attempts in recent years to raise the profile of older people: in a global context. The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), agreed by 159 states in 2002, recognises older people as contributors to the development of their societies. However, this agreement is not legally binding and is relatively unknown in policy-making circles.

The fact that it has only been mentioned twice in this report implies that MIPAA has had limited impact. As our authors suggest, far more needs to be done to ensure people of all ages are respected, protected, and enabled to continue contributing and participating throughout their lives.

We all experience different challenges and have different needs at different stages of life. Each one of us should be supported to fulfil our potential at every age: in childhood, youth, middle-age and later life.

We hope this publication will help us to face the facts of global population ageing in international development; and in turn, to explore what must be done to respond to the benefits and challenges this worldwide phenomenon brings.

Selected Quotes from Press Release Launching Report
Chris Roles, Director of Age International, said: “Our analysis highlights how population ageing affects every aspect of development, but simply isn’t being given the attention it deserves. We need policies that are fit for the world around us and the future ahead, not ones based on out of date views of who lives in developing countries.
“For example, our experience tells us that older people are far too often invisible in emergency humanitarian situations as well as longer term development programmes. Ignoring the ageing population is no longer an option.”

Mary Robinson said: “The world has more older people today than ever before, yet too many older people still face prejudice and discrimination. ‘Facing the Facts’ is a welcome and much-needed step towards greater recognition of the rights, dignity and value of older people around the world.”

Margaret Chan said: “The health needs of the world’s population are being transformed by global ageing yet governments, development and health practitioners have been slow to react. The increase in the number of older people is one of the success stories of international development and how we respond to this reality will be one of the keys to prosperity in the future.”