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Annex IV
GENERAL COMMENT NO. 6 (1995)*
The economic, social and cultural rights
of older persons
1.
Introduction
1.
The world population is ageing 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 per cent 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, rising from
13 million in 1950 to over 50 million today, and is 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 10 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. 1/
2.
These figures 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 the 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 ageing of their populations, especially as regards
social security. In the developing countries, the absence or deficiencies 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 Ageing adopted the International Plan
of Action on Ageing. 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 the International Covenants on
Human Rights. It contains 62 recommendations, many of which are of direct
relevance to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights. 2/
5.
In 1991, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles for
Older Persons, which, because of their programmatic nature, also constitute an
important document in the present context. 3/ The Principles are divided
*
Adopted at the thirteenth session (39th meeting), on 24 November 1995.