Mainstreaming the concerns of older persons into the social development agenda

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Mainstreaming the concerns of older persons into
the social development agenda Robert Venne UN
Programme on Ageing
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Defining mainstreaming

• process of systematically bringing issues to the
  center of attention
• tool for focus and inclusion
• proxy for advocacy
• strategy and process as well as a
  multi-dimensional effort
• Goals
• greater social integration of a particular group
• inclusion of a particular issue into all aspects
  of social, political, economic and cultural life

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Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing on
mainstreaming

• Mainstreaming ageing into global agendas is
  essential
• Concerted effort to move towards a wide and
  equitable approach to policy integration
• Attempt to link ageing to other frameworks for
  social and economic development and human rights
• Recognition of ability of older persons to
  contribute to society

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General Assembly and Commission for Social
Development on mainstreaming

• General Assembly resolution 58/134 calls for
• integration of ageing into all development
  policies
• setting national and international policy
  priorities concerning older persons
• Commission for Social Development resolution 42/1
  outlines
• review and appraisal of MIPAA every five years by
  including age-specific policies and efforts to
  mainstream ageing
• facilitation and promotion of MIPAA by advocating
  mainstreaming

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Road map for the implementation of MIPAA

• achieving national capacity building by
  mainstreaming ? DESA assists in holding national
  workshops to explore benefits and obstacles
  regarding mainstreaming and data collection
  (Senegal and Kyrgyzstan)
• tracking to what extent mainstreaming occurs and
  how ageing is integrated in policy planning
• assigning full-time focal points on ageing for
  further implementation, particularly through
  appropriate mainstreaming action

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UN and NGO operative efforts

• UNFPA ? mainstreaming ageing into areas of focus
  such as reproductive health, gender and
  humanitarian responses to conflict situations
• WHO ? focus on principles and methods of
  developing health care systems that are
  responsive to ageing
• HelpAge International ? focus on older persons as
  caregivers for orphans and children as victims of
  HIV/AIDS

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DESA-organized meetings on follow-up to MIPAA

• Meeting in Tanzania on poverty in Africa
• agreement to mainstream the concerns of older
  persons is necessary for linking ageing to
  existing policy and operational programming
  instruments
• Meeting in Malta on modalities for RA of MIPAA
• mainstreaming ageing into development policies
  as part of the review and appraisal exercise
• Meeting in Austria on national implementation of
  MIPAA
• empowerment and participation are important
  vehicles in mainstreaming efforts

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Tools and techniques for successful mainstreaming

• (1) Data collection and analysis
• Age-disaggregated data on socio-economic
  situation of older persons of particular
  importance
• Participatory methods for collecting information
  should complement other more quantitative data
  collection methods
• (2) Awareness raising, advocacy and education
• Information dissemination regarding ageing and
  older persons ? sensitizing the public and
  combating negative stereotypes and ignorance
• Public advocacy of objectives of MIPAA

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Tools and techniques for successful mainstreaming
contd

• (3) Performance indicators
• Developing benchmarks to measure improvement of
  life quality of older persons and success of
  overall policy
• Built-in periodicity of review of policies and
  programmes benefiting older persons is important
• (4) Reflection of ageing in the social budget
• Establishment of mainstreaming office in finance
  ministry
• Annual budget process must take the concerns and
  problems of older persons into consideration ?
  improved equity in national resource allocation

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Tools and techniques for successful mainstreaming
contd

• (5) Evaluation of current laws and mainstreaming
  of concerns into new legislation and policies
• Review of existing policies to ensure that they
  adequately reflect the concerns of older persons
• Conduct of impact analysis for new policy,
  programmes and laws regarding ageing and older
  persons
• (6) National coordination and international
  cooperation
• Coordination of conception, sequencing of
  actions, implementation as well as evaluation of
  policies
• Sharing of best practices
• Capacity development among governments, NGOs,
  international organizations, and donors for
  effective mainstreaming

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Good mainstreaming practices

• Bolivia
• The National Plan for Older Persons (2001) seeks
  to counteract the age discrimination currently
  marginalizing older people and calls for
  mainstreaming a generational perspective into all
  national policies and programmes.

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Good mainstreaming practices

• Mauritius
• Ageing with Dignity (2001), a comprehensive
  National Policy on the Elderly, covers
  retirement, health and nutrition, social
  protection, housing, income security, employment,
  education, inter-generational relationships,
  social welfare and leisure as well as
  institutional care, with gender as a
  cross-cutting issue.

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Good mainstreaming practices

• New Zealand
• Positive Ageing Strategy (2001) focuses on
  income security, accessible health services,
  affordable housing and the opportunity to age in
  place, accessible transport, non-discrimination
  of rural communities, cultural services,
  elimination of ageism in employment, attitude
  change, and opportunities for participation
  concerning older persons. Strategy development
  and RA in an all-inclusive manner.

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Conclusion

• Mainstreaming as a technique to further the
  interests and well-being of older persons could
  be a useful tool to promote an equitable
  age-integrated society for all ages, as called
  for in MIPAA. Mainstreaming, if applied prudently
  should result in new policies based on careful
  planning, sensible implementation and rigorous
  evaluation using well-thought-out indicators that
  could lead to more satisfying results for older
  persons.