A/RES/S-21/2 Page 6 (c) Determine the causes of the stagnation or increase in mortality levels among adult populations and develop special policies and programmes on health promotion where such stagnation or increase is observed, especially among women in reproductive age groups and males in productive age groups; (d) Ensure that poverty eradication programmes are targeted particularly at females and that priority is given to female-headed households; (e) Develop innovative ways to provide more effective assistance to strengthen families in extreme poverty, such as providing micro-credit for poor families and individuals; (f) Undertake policies and programmes that seek to ensure a level of consumption that meets the basic needs of the poor and disadvantaged. 19. Measures should be taken to strengthen food, nutrition and agricultural policies and programmes, and fair trade relations, with special attention to the creation and strengthening of food security at all levels. 20. Governments should promote and protect the rights of indigenous people with particular regard to their cultures, resources, belief systems, land rights and languages. B. Changing age structure and ageing of the population 21. Governments should: (a) Continue to examine the economic and social implications of demographic change and how they relate to development planning concerns and the needs of individuals; (b) Meet the needs of youth, especially young women, with the active support, guidance and participation, as appropriate, of parents, families, communities, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, by investing in the development and implementation of national, regional and local plans. In this context, priority should be given to programmes such as education, income-generating opportunities, vocational training, and health services, including those related to sexual and reproductive health. Youth should be fully involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of such programmes and plans. These policies, plans and programmes should be implemented in line with the commitments made at the International Conference on Population and Development and in conformity with the relevant international conventions and agreements. Emphasis should be placed on fostering intergenerational dialogue through better communication and mutual support; (c) Support research and develop comprehensive strategies at the national, regional and local levels to meet, where appropriate, the challenges of population ageing. Invest more resources in gender-sensitive research as well as in training and capacity-building in social policies and health care of older persons, especially the elderly poor, paying special attention to the economic and social security of older persons, in particular older women; affordable, accessible and appropriate health-care services; the human rights and dignity of older persons and the productive and useful roles that they can play in society; support systems to enhance the ability of families and communities to care for older family members; the ability of the elderly to care for family members and community victims of HIV/AIDS; and generational solidarity with the goal of maintaining and improving social cohesion. /...