A/RES/72/144 Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing Noting also that, between 2017 and by 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 46 per cent, from 962 million to 1.4 billion, globally outnumbering youth, as well as children under the age of 10, 5 and that this increase will be the greatest and the most rapid in the developing world, and recognizing that greater attention needs to be paid to the specific challenges affecting older persons, including in the field of human rights, Recalling World Health Assembly resolutions on ageing, specifically resolution 58.16 of 25 May 2005 on strengthening active and healthy ageing, 6 which stressed the important role of public health policies and programmes in enabling the rapidly growing number of older persons to remain in good health and maintain their many vital contributions to the well-being of their families, communities and societies, resolution 65.3 of 25 May 2012 on strengthening non-communicable disease policies to promote active ageing, 7 which recognized that population ageing is among the major factors contributing to the rising incidence and prevalence of non-communicable diseases, and resolution 69.3 of 29 May 2016, entitled “Global strategy and action plan on ageing and health 2016–2020: towards a world in which everyone can live a long and healthy life”, 8 Acknowledging that many developing countries and countries with economies in transition are confronting a double burden of fighting emerging and re -emerging communicable diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, in parallel with the increasing threat of non-communicable diseases, and expressing concern about the impact on older persons, Concerned that many health systems are not sufficiently prepared to respond to the needs of the rapidly ageing population, including the need for preventive, curative, palliative and specialized care, Deeply concerned that the situation of older persons in many parts of the world has been negatively affected by the world financial and economic crisis, and noting with concern the high incidence of poverty among them, Recognizing the essential contribution that older persons can continue to make to the functioning of societies and towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development if adequate guarantees are in place, Concerned about the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that may create additional vulnerabilities for older persons and affect their enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and noting that older women often face multiple forms of discrimination resulting from gender inequality, Recognizing that the systematic review of the implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action by Member States at the national, regional and international levels is essential for its success in improving the quality of life of older persons and promoting the development of a society for all ages, underlining in this regard the coordinating role of the Commission for Social Development in this process, and acknowledging the ongoing work under the third five-year review and appraisal cycle of the Madrid Plan of Action and looking forward to its results, which will be assessed at the fifty-sixth session of the Commission for Social Development, in 2018, 1. Reaffirms the Political Declaration 1 and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002; 2 __________________ 5 6 7 8 2/8 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. See World Health Organization, document WHA58/2005/REC/1. See World Health Organization, document WHA65/2012/REC/1. See World Health Organization, document WHA69/2016/REC/1. 17-22932