A/RES/69/146 Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing Recognizing that, by 2050, more than 20 per cent of the world’s population will be 60 years of age or older, and recognizing also that the increase in the number of older people will be the greatest and the most rapid in the developing world, Recalling World Health Assembly resolution 58.16 of 25 May 2005 on strengthening active and healthy ageing, which stressed the important role of public health policies and programmes in enabling the rapidly growing number of older persons in both developed and developing countries to remain in good health and maintain their many vital contributions to the well-being of their families, communities and societies, Recalling also World Health Assembly resolution 65.3 of 25 May 2012 on strengthening non-communicable disease policies to promote active ageing, which recognized that population ageing is among the major factors contributing to the rising incidence and prevalence of non-communicable diseases, Concerned that many health systems are not sufficiently prepared to respond to the needs of the rapidly ageing population, including the need for preventative, 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, Recognizing the essential contribution that the majority of older men and women can continue to make to the functioning of society if adequate guarantees are in place, Noting that older women outnumber older men, and noting with concern that older women often face multiple forms of discrimination resulting from their gender-based roles in society, compounded by their age or disability or on other grounds, which affect the enjoyment of their human rights, 1. Reaffirms the Political Declaration1 and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002;2 2. Recognizes that the major challenges faced by older persons undermine their social, economic and cultural participation; 3. Takes note with appreciation of the appointment by the Human Rights Council of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, and invites Member States to cooperate with the Independent Expert in carrying out the mandate set out in Human Rights Council resolution 24/20 of 27 September 2013;5 4. Invites Member States to continue to share their national experiences in developing and implementing policies and programmes aimed at strengthening the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons, including within the framework of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing established by the General Assembly in paragraph 28 of its resolution 65/182; 5. Stresses the importance of the Independent Expert and the Working Group working in close coordination, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of each other’s mandates and those of other special procedures and subsidiary organs of the Human Rights Council, relevant United Nations bodies and treaties; _______________ 5 See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-eighth Session, Supplement No.53A (A/68/53/Add.1), chap. III. 2/7