On Tuesday 1st of October 2019, Jordan and the world celebrate the annual International Day of Older Persons. The annual celebration of this day aims at shedding light on the older persons and their essential contributions to the society, besides raising awareness about the problems and challenges facing them in societies.
This year's celebration comes under the theme of "The Journey to Age Equality", aiming at drawing attention to the existence of inequalities towards the elderly. Such disparity often results from the accumulation of marginalization practices throughout all life stages. Furthermore, other objectives were highlighted in terms of raising awareness to the urgent need of addressing the existence of inequity between the older persons and other age segments and preventing such inequalities in the future. Additionally, the theme promotes exploring social and structural changes in the context of individuals’ life course policies, considering best practices, draw on the lessons and achieved progress towards eliminating inequalities with the older persons, and changing the negative perception of the “aging” concept.
Higher Population Council stressed the need to care for the older persons and benefit from their valuable experience and expertise for future generations. Moreover, HPC noted the importance of empowering older persons in all development fields by enhancing their contributions in the political, social, and economy aspects as one of the sustainable development requirements.
According to statistics, the council stated that the number of older persons (+60 years ) in Jordan, in 2015, is about 52 thousand people, whereas the older females were 49.1% and the males were 50.9%. HPC further pointed out that the females’ life expectancy average at birth is one year and a half higher than males; in other words, this rate was 74 years for females and 72.5 years for males.
HPC further noted that the older persons segment (+65 years) in Jordan began to increase, reaching 4.2% in 2015, and is expected to rise to 8.4% in 2040 "peak population opportunity". The aforementioned indicates that this will lead to high rates of dependency, and increase the burdens on health and other services related to this social segment, especially as a proportion of the older persons suffer from chronic diseases that require a high-cost treatment compared to the treatment cost for younger age segments.
Pursuant to HPC keenness towards the importance of providing quality-care for the older persons and their role in achieving and investing in the population opportunity, HPC pointed out that polices related to this social segment were included in Population Opportunity Policy Document 2017. These policies are concerned with the expansion and continuous improvement in the health and social services, health insurances and the social development services as part of the third strategic objective of the Council “Social Protection and Preparation for post-population opportunity”. HPC further stressed that focusing on the development and social protection is the main key for the effective preparation of the population opportunity stage and beyond reaching its peak. The development and social protection objectives can be achieved by promoting the programs aimed at protecting the poor, vulnerable groups and the older persons and to provide a decent life for all age groups through all their life stages.
HPC further pointed out that the main challenges facing the older persons are the poor care offered to them despite their critical health condition, due to several reasons, including poverty, poor social protection and the difficult access to health-care centers, along with the lack of pensions that deprives this group from decent living.
HPC highlighted that Jordan has taken many actions in the course of enhancing the protection of aging in society. One of its most outstanding action is setting strategic priorities, as well as launching initiatives and supportive activities that protect the old persons and ensure them a decent life. The government has included these within the “Jordan 2025” document and The Comprehensive National Plan for Human Rights (2016-2025). On 2016, the government issued the necessary directions to open Health Clinics that provide medical care and supervision for older persons in the nursing homes.
HPC noted that the National Jordanian Strategy for Senior Citizens (2018-2022) is an important national strategy with several essential pillars in relation to the contribution of older persons in the development process, providing them health care and surrounding the older persons with elderly-supportive financial environment and social care. The mentioned strategy was prepared by the National Council for Family Affairs in order to achieve security, dignity and well-being for older persons in Jordan.
The Higher Population Council emphasized the importance of enhancing older persons’ contributions in society taking into account the gender aspect. HPC further stressed the protection of older persons from all kinds of violence and exploitation, as well as enhancing the society's positive point of view towards them and promoting intergenerational solidarity. It also shed light on the importance of strengthen the private sector role towards the older persons through social responsibility, which will help providing social care for elderly and enable them to live comfortably and peacefully.
With regard to international conventions, agreements and frameworks for older persons, HPC stated that the International Plan of Action on Aging adopted by the First World Assembly on Aging in Vienna in 1982 has reflected the rights of older persons. In addition to the aforementioned, the United Nations summits adopted commitments and guidelines aiming at promoting the rights of older persons. Namely, the Copenhagen Declaration and Program of Action adopted by the World Summit for Social Development in 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, in addition to the other initiatives for social development adopted by the General Assembly twenty-fourth special session and the Declaration of the United Nations Millennium adopted at the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000.
Finally, HPC highlighted the three key international frameworks that address older persons and aging issues and include practical actions and sustainable solutions for guiding purposes. These frameworks are the Action Program of The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), The Madrid International Plan of Action on Aging 2002 which is the first reference for all states on the advancement of older persons and addressing aging issues with new momentum and from in human rights aspect; in addition to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Goals. Moreover, the Nairobi Summit “Population and Development program in 25 Years” that is scheduled for November this year with an agenda that includes global commitments to address older persons issues in order to build communities where they feel valued and can shape their own destiny and contribute to the prosperity of their communities.
