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Chapter 6 CESCR General Comment No. 6 (1995) on the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of Older Persons 1. Introduction The world population is aging at a steady, quite spectacular rate. The total number of persons aged 60 and above rose from 200 million in 1950 to 400 million in 1982 and is projected to reach 600 million in the year 2001 and 1.2 billion by the year 2025, at which time over 70 percent of them will be living in what are today’s developing countries . The number of people aged 80 and above has grown and continues to grow even more dramatically, going from 13 million in 1950 to over 50 million today and projected to increase to 137 million in 2025. This is the fastest growing population group in the world, projected to increase by a factor of ten between 1950 and 2025, compared with a factor of six for the group aged 60 and above and a factor of little more than three for the total population. 2. These Wgures are illustrations of a quiet revolution, but one which has far-reaching and unpredictable consequences and which is now affecting the social and economic structures of societies both at the world level and at the country level, and will affect them even more in future. 3. Most of the States parties to the Covenant, and the industrialized countries in particular , are faced with the task of adapting their social and economic policies to the aging of their populations, especially as regards social security. In the developing countries , the absence or deWciencies of social security coverage are being aggravated by the emigration of the younger members of the population and the consequent weakening of the traditional role of the family, the main support of older people. 2. Internationally Endorsed Policies in Relation to Older Persons 4. In 1982 the World Assembly on Aging adopted the Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging. This important document was endorsed by the General Assembly and is a very useful guide, for it details the measures that should be taken by Member States to safeguard the rights of older persons within the context of the rights proclaimed by Original notes omitted. the International Covenants on Human Rights. It contains 62 recommendations, many of which are of direct relevance to the Covenant. 5. In 1991 the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons which, because of their programmatic nature, is also an important document in the present context. It is divided into Wve sections which correlate closely to the rights recognized in the Covenant. “Independence” includes access to adequate food, water, shelter, clothing and health care. To these basic rights are added the opportunity to remunerated work and access to education and training. By “participation” is meant that older persons should participate actively in the formulation and implementation of policies that affect their well-being and share their knowledge and skills with younger generations, and should be able to form movements and associations. The section headed “care” proclaims that older persons should beneWt from family care, health care and be able to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms when residing in a shelter, care or treatment facility. With regard to “self-fulWllment,” the Principles that older persons should pursue opportunities for the full development of their potential through access to the educational, cultural, spiritual and recreational resources of their societies. Lastly, the section entitled “dignity” states that older persons should be able to live in dignity and security and be free of exploitation and physical or mental abuse, should be treated fairly, regardless of age, gender, racial or ethnic background, disability, Wnancial situation or any other status, and be valued independently of their economic contribution. 6. In 1992, the General Assembly adopted eight global targets on aging for the year 2001 and a brief guide for setting national targets. In a number of important respects, these global targets serve to reinforce the obligations of States parties to the Covenant. 7. Also in 1992, and in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Vienna International Plan of Action by the Conference on Aging, the General Assembly adopted the Proclamation on Aging in which it urged support of national initiatives on aging so that older women are given adequate support for their largely unrecognized contributions to society and older men are encouraged to develop social, cultural and emotional capacities which they may have been prevented from developing...

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