International
Information about the world-wide response to demographic challenge and the UK Government’s involvement with associated international institutions.
- Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing – the ten commitments
- Guiding principles for active ageing and solidarity between generations
- Active Ageing Index
- More information
Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing – the ten commitments
Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing sets out the 10 commitments agreed by Governments to bring about the adjustments needed to address the challenges and opportunities of an ageing society.
- To mainstream ageing in all policy fields with the aim of bringing societies and economies into harmony with the demographic change to achieve a society for all ages.
- To ensure full integration and participation of older persons in society.
- To promote equitable and sustainable economic growth in response to population ageing.
- To adjust social protection systems in response to demographic change and their social and economic consequences.
- To enable labour markets to respond to economic and social consequences of population ageing.
- To promote life-long learning and adapt the educational system in order to meet the changing economic, social and demographic conditions.
- To ensure quality of life at all ages to maintain independent living including health and wellbeing.
- To mainstream a gender approach in an ageing society.
- To support families that provide care for older persons and promote intergenerational and intra-generational solidarity among their members.
- To promote the implementation and follow-up of the regional implementation strategy through regional co-operation.
A Ministerial Conference was held in Vienna on 19-20 September 2012 where:
- progress on implementation of the Madrid Plan was reviewed and evaluated, and experience and good practice was shared
- a Ministerial Declaration was adopted
- a political declaration by non-governmental organisations was presented on the second day of the conference following a forum held on 18 September 2012.
Following the conference, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Working Group on Ageing held its fifth meeting at the UN in Geneva on 22-23 November 2012. The Group agreed the work programme for 2012-17 in response to the declarations, as well as reviewing the implementation of the Madrid Plan.
- Working Group on Ageing – fifth meeting (UNECE website)
Guiding principles for active ageing and solidarity between generations
On 6 December 2012 the Council of the European Union adopted a ‘Declaration on the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations: The Way Forward’. This includes in the Annex the ‘Guiding Principles for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations’ which was jointly agreed by the Social Protection Committee and the Employment Committee.
Active Ageing Index
The Active Ageing Index (AAI) was launched at the closing conference of the ‘European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations’ in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 10 December 2012. The AAI enables UN member states to:
- measure the extent to which older people can realise their full potential in terms of employment, participation in social and cultural life and independent living
- measure environmental factors that influence active ageing
- measure and monitor active ageing outcomes at country level with a breakdown by gender.
- Press release – Active Ageing Index (UNECE website)
More information
- Madrid Plan of Action Regional Implementation Strategy (300KB)
- Madrid Plan of Action: Monitoring the Regional Implementation Strategy (Monitoring IRS website)
- UK follow up 2011 to the Madrid Plan of Action (158KB)
- United Nations Economic Commission for Europe website (UNECE) promotes pan-European economic integration and sets out norms, standards and conventions to facilitate international cooperation within and outside the region.
- UNECE Working Group on Ageing (UNECE website)
