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Ageing in the 21st century: A celebration and a challenge

Arthur Erken and NiRjHARiNEE Hasan
TODAY, October 1,2012, is the "International Day of Older Persons." And on this day, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and HelpAge International will launch a publication entitled "Ageing in the 21“ Century: a Celebration and a Challenge." Such a publication could not come at a more opportune time, as population ageing is one of the most significant trends of the 21“ century! Around the world, two persons celebrate their sixtieth birthday every second! With one in nine persons in the world aged 60 years or over, projected to increase to one in five by 2050, population ageing is a phenomenon that can no longer be ignored.
Population ageing is happening in all regions and in countries at various levels of development. It is progressing fastest in developing countries, including in those that also have a large population of young people, like Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the number of persons over 60 years of age is projected to increase from about 9.8 million people today (or 6.5% of total population) to 18.1 million people (or almost 10%) by 2026 and 44.1 million people (or 20.2%) by 2051. The ratio of people aged 60 or above to children under the age of 15 years might be about 5.7 times higher over the next half century due to the growing number of older persons and at the same time the reduction in the number of young people. Also, the old-age dependency ratio will be almost triple from 5.4 to 16.2 in Bangladesh between the years 2000 and 2050. But is Bangladesh ready for the expected rapid increase in the number of its citizens over 60 years of age?
Let us start with a story, the story of Hazera Bewa. Hazera is a widow of 65 years old, has a family of four daughters and one son. When she was young, she had strength and energy. She took care of her kids, even sacrificing her meal just to get smile on the face of her children. They have become parents of their own and have
families to take care of. Her four daughters live with their families far from Hazera's village. She lives with her only son and his family. But life is not easy. Since she does no longer have the strength and energy, she has become a burden on the family. She is completely dependent for her daily needs and care on her son's family. She's frequently tortured by her son, her daughter-in-law, and even at times by her grandchildren. Oh, how she wants to love her grandchildren, convey to them the stories she knows. Instead, she spends her life in isola-
tion, feeling depressed and helpless. Sadly, Hazera's story is not unique.
More and more senior citizens in Bangladesh are experiencing the same sense of loneliness, feeling misunderstood, and even feeling worthless. Therefore, on this special day, commemorating the virtues of old age, of wisdom and experience, let's celebrate the senior citizens in our midst, their contributions, to our lives, to our society. After all, they are the foundation on which our countries have been built.
The process of ageing in Bangladesh is taking place at a time of rapid socio-economic and demographic transition, with lifestyles changing, kinship bonds weakening and family compositions undergoing rapid transformation. Bangladesh has a long tradition of looking after the elderly and it is expected that families and communities will care for their
own elderly members. But these rapid changes and transformations are beginning to break down these traditional family-based and communitybased care systems. As a result, many elderly people in Bangladesh suffer from poor financial support, old-age diseases in the absence of proper health and medical facilities, exclusion and negligence, deprivation and socio-economic insecurity. Still, and thankfully, most elderly in Bangladesh pass their days amidst the tender care and support, mostly provided by their extended families. But will this situa-
tion last?
In a way, ageing is a triumph of development. Increasing longevity is one of humanity's greatest achievements. People live longer because of improved nutrition, sanitation, medical advances, health care, education and economic well-being. But it also presents social, economic and cultural challenges to individuals, families, societies and the global community at large. It is how we choose to address the challenges and maximise the opportunities of a growing older population that will determine whether society will reap the benefits of the "longevity dividend." With the number and proportion of older persons growing faster than any other age group, and in an increasing range of countries, there are concerns about the capacities of societies to address the challenges associated with this demographic shift.
To face the challenges and also to take advantage of the opportunities resulting from population ageing, the UNFPA/HelpAge report calls for new approaches to the way that societies, workforces, and social and inter-generational relations are structured. We must ensure that all older persons can live with dignity and security, enjoying access to essential health and social services and a minimum income through the implementation of national social protection floors and other social investments that extend the autonomy and independence of older people, prevent impoverishment in old age and contribute to a more healthy ageing. Moreover, we must support communities and families to develop or maintain support systems which ensure that frail older persons receive the long-term care they need and promote active and healthy ageing at the local level to facilitate ageing in place. And, we must ensure the inclusion of ageing and the needs of older persons in all national development policies and programmes. These actions must be sustained by strong political commitment that ensures an effective integration of ageing within the larger processes of development. People everywhere must have the opportunity to age with dignity, respect and security. This requires that we develop a new rights-based culture of ageing and a change of mindset and societal attitudes towards ageing and older persons, from welfare recipients to active, contributing members of society.
We know that Bangladesh will take the required measures to use the opportunities presented by a rapidly ageing population and reduce the challenges associated with it, through the finalisation of the National Policy on Ageing which aims at achieving many of the points raised in this piece. We wish everyone a happy International Day of Older Persons!
The writers are Country Representative, UNFPA and Country Director, HelpAge International Bangladesh, respectively.