1. The Response of the International Community: Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA)
Presentation by
Asghar Zaidi
European Centre Vienna
Also on behalf of
Alexandre Sidorenko,
UN Programme on Ageing
UN PROGRAMME ON AGEING AS 2007
European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research

2. Outline of my two-part presentation:
The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (15 mins)
What is MIPAA?
Implementation strategy of MIPAA
Implementation efforts
Review & appraisal: what modalities and procedures
MIPAA and the Improvement of the Quality of Life (5 mins)
UN PROGRAMME ON AGEING AS 2007
European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research

3. What is MIPAA?
Madrid, April 2002: The 2nd World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) – a major international coordination initiative;
Mandate to the UN Regional Commissions to translate the Plan into regional action plans and to assist national institutions in implementation and monitoring of their actions on ageing (MIPAA, para 128);
2007/08 is the 5th anniversary of MIPAA – thus, a review and appraisal of the activities undertaken under the MIPAA.

4. COMMITMENTS OF GOVERNMENTS IN THE POLITICAL DECLARATION:
and
Madrid International
Plan of Action on Ageing
Second World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain April 2002
COMMITMENTS OF GOVERNMENTS IN THE POLITICAL DECLARATION:
Incorporate ageing within social and economic strategies…
Eliminate age discrimination…
Protect older persons in armed conflict and foreign occupation…
Provide older persons with universal and equal excess to health care and services…
UN PROGRAMME ON AGEING

5. Reaching a society for all ages
Political Declaration
and
Madrid International
Plan of Action on Ageing
Second World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain April 2002
Overall GOAL:
Reaching a society for all ages
CONTENT:
Adjustment to an ageing world
UN PROGRAMME ON AGEING

6. I. Older Persons and Development
Priority Directions for Policy Actions
I. Older Persons and Development
II. Advancing Health and Wellbeing into Old Age
III. Ensuring Enabling and Supportive Environments
UN PROGRAMME ON AGEING

7. I. Older Persons and Development
Adjustment to an ageing world is measured in terms of:
I. Older Persons and Development
Social development
II. Advancing Health and Wellbeing into Old Age
Improving ‘QOL’ of older persons
Sustainability of support systems
III. Ensuring Enabling and Supportive Environments

8. “TARGETED” MAINSTREAMING
Region
Overall (social/economic) priority
Ageing mainstreaming component (focus)
Africa
Poverty
HIV/AIDS, incl. orphan children
Older persons as caregivers and household leaders
Latin America
(Out)migration
Older persons left behind in rural areas. Older persons adjusting to urban environment
Asia
Adjustment to fast societal change
Transition from informal (family, e.g. filial piety, etc.) to mix (formal + informal) support systems
Eurasian countries
Transition from all-inclusive social welfare to market based schemes
Older persons as active members of transitional society
UNECE countries
Reform of social security and health care systems;
Labour force participation
Older persons as beneficiary of social security system and contributors to development
UN PROGRAMME ON AGEING

9. Implementation of the Madrid Plan
Political Declaration
and
Madrid International
Plan of Action on Ageing
Second World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain April 2002
Implementation of the Madrid Plan

10. The essential element of its implementation is to help extend national capacity on ageing
institutional framework
human resources (governmental/ non-govt)
mobilization of financial resources
research, data collection and analysis
policy processes, including the use of mainstreaming

11. Example on national capacity on ageing: research, data collection and analysis
UN EUROPEAN REGION:
The European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research (Vienna) assists governments in monitoring the regional implementation strategy for the MIPAA in the UNECE region.
The European Research Area in Ageing (ERA-AGE): a four year project funded by the European Commission, to promote the development of a European strategy for research on ageing.

12. Political Declaration
and
Madrid International
Plan of Action on Ageing
Second World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain April 2002
3. First cycle of the review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action

13. Key Modalities of National Review & Appraisal:
Review and appraisal will be undertaken every five years;
Each review and appraisal cycle will focus on the theme based on the priority directions of MIPAA;
Review and appraisal will include two dimensions: ageing-specific policies and ageing-mainstreaming efforts; and
Bottom-up and flexible approach will be the major format of the review and appraisal exercise.

14. The first global cycle of the review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action -
Started in 2007 at the 45th session of the Commission for Social Development and will conclude it in 2008 at its 46th session.
Global theme: “Addressing the challenges and opportunities of ageing”.
Format of the concluding event (in 2008): plenary debate + a series of panel discussions and events related to the theme of the first review and appraisal cycle.

15. Part II: Quality of Life
What does it generally mean?
multi-dimensional and complex concept
Health often used as a proxy
Major focus of scientific research in Europe and North America, BUT with limited benefits to policymaking and to actual people quality of life
It is important driver of policy (in EU, in UN and also in MIPAA)
MIPAA: It is not clear what exactly is meant by such terms as “enhancing of quality of life”, “maintaining quality of life”, “contributing to quality of life”, etc, but it is regarded one of the central goals of ageing policies.

16. References to Quality of Life in MIPAA
“medical conditions due to environmental pollution affects quality of life of persons as they age”
“mental health problems are a leading cause of disability and of reduced quality of life”
“health promotion and disease prevention activities [that] can improve the functioning and quality of life of older persons who already have disabilities”
The Action Plan refers to quality of life within the context of health!
Is this what it is?

17. MULTI-DIMENSIONAL NATURE OF QoL
Psychological
Physical
Spatial
Social/Economic
Source: Walker (2007)

18. MODELS OF QUALITY OF LIFE
Objective social indicators
Satisfaction of human needs
Subjective social indicators
Health and functioning

19. Older People’s own perspectives on QoL
FOUNDATIONS OF A GOOD QoL IN OLD AGE
Having good social relationships with family, friends and neighbours
Having good health and functional ability
Living in a good home and neighbourhood
Having a positive outlook and psychological well-being
Having adequate income
Maintaining independence and control over one's life
Source: Bowling et al (2002)

20. Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges: they vary between regions and countries; UN regional commissions and national stakeholders have an important role; MIPAA to ensure effective intergovernmental cooperation.
Opportunity: A comprehensive strategy is adopted by national authorities (necessary to understand the sources of and promotion of quality of life):
by combining preventative and remedial actions
by adopting a ‘Society for All Ages’ approach
by integrating economic and social policies
by joining up all of relevant actors
by ingraining the principle of participation under conditions which enhance older people’s well-being