AGEING AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

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AGEING AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE
CARIBBEAN

• Towards a society for all ages and rights-based
  social protection

José Luis Machinea Executive SecretaryECLAC
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Contents

• Rapid and uneven population ageing in Latin
  America and the Caribbean
• Demographic bonus opportunities, limitations and
  proposals
• Madrid5 follow-up and framework for future
  priorities of the Regional Strategy for its
  implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean
  (Brasilia Declaration)

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• 1. Rapid and uneven population ageing in Latin
  America and the Caribbean

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The proportion of older people vary considerably
in different regions of the world
WORLD AND REGIONS PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION
AGED 60 AND OVER, 2007
Source United Nations, World Population
Prospects The 2006 Revision (ST/ESA/SER.A/261/ES)
, Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(DESA), May 2007.
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The population is ageing rapidly in Latin America
and the Caribbean
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN NUMBER AND
PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION AGED 60 AND OVER.
1950-2050
Source Latin American and Caribbean Demographic
Centre (CELADE) - Population Division of ECLAC,
population estimates and projections online
www.eclac.cl/celade_proyecciones/basedatos_BD.htm.
.
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The regions countries are at different stages of
population ageing
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• 2. Demographic bonus opportunities, limitations
  and proposals

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From 2025, the dependency ratio will begin to
increase. From 2040, there will be more older
persons than children under the age of 15
DEPENDENCY RATIO TOTAL, CHILDREN AND OLDER
PERSONS, 1950-2100
Source Prepared by the author and Latin American
and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE) -
Population Division of ECLAC, Observatorio
demográfico proyeccion de población, No. 3
population estimates and projections online
www.eclac.cl/celade_proyecciones/basedatos_BD.htm.
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Countries with incipient ageing will experience a
rapid growth of the older population over the
next few decades
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN PERCENTAGE AND
GROWTH RATE OF THE POPULATION AGED 60 AND OVER,
BY STAGE OF AGEING, 1950-2050
Source Latin American and Caribbean Demographic
Centre (CELADE) - Population Division of ECLAC,
population estimates and projections online
www.eclac.cl/celade_proyecciones/basedatos_BD.htm.
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Impacts of population ageing the labour force
will continue to grow in absolute terms, with the
fastest growing group being the older
economically active population
LATIN AMERICA GROWTH RATE OF THE ECONOMICALLY
ACTIVE POPULATION, BY AGE GROUP (PER 100)
LATIN AMERICA GROWTH RATE OF THE TOTAL
ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE POPULATION, BY SEX (PER 100)
Source Latin American and Caribbean Demographic
Centre (CELADE) - Population Division of ECLAC,
Demographic Observatory Economically Active
Population, No. 2 (LC/G.2337-P/E), Santiago,
Chile. United Nations publication, Sales No.
E/S.07.II.G.28, 2006.
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In summary,
In the coming decades, demographic changes will
continue
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To take advantage of the demographic bonus,
countries must face up to regions current
limitations
MAIN LIMITATIONS TO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE
DEMOGRAPHIC BONUS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE
CARIBBEAN
Labour markets

• Low coverage of contributive and non-contributive
  pensions
• Regressive effect amidst low public investment
• Financial insolvency and segmentation

• Labour markets are not a universal and dynamic
  means of accessing social protection systems

• Epidemiological backlog
• Inequitable access (risk and income)
• Dissociated funding and service provision

Source Prepared by the author on the basis of
Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean (ECLAC), Shaping the Future of Social
Protection Access, Financing and Solidarity
(LC/G.2294(SES.31/3)/E), Santiago, Chile, March,
2006.
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To overcome these limitations, ECLAC has proposed
a reform agenda to strengthen social protection
systems
REFORM AGENDA FOR A NEW SOCIAL PROTECTION COVENANT

• Improve economic performance in terms of growth
  rate and stability
• Facilitate formal employment
• Promote policies that reconcile labour
  flexibility with social protection

• Strengthen non-contributive pension systems
• Improve the solidarity of the contributive system
  using a model that integrates both systems,
  maintains contribution incentives and guarantees
  financial solidarity

• Create solidarity mechanisms to provide equitable
  access to health services irrespective of
  people's levels of income and risk
• Reduce costs and improve the efficiency of
  resource allocation in response to demographic,
  epidemiological and technological changes

Source Prepared by the author on the basis of
Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean (ECLAC), Shaping the Future of Social
Protection Access, Financing and Solidarity
(LC/G.2294(SES.31/3)/E), Santiago, Chile, March,
2006.
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• 3. Madrid5 follow-up and future priorities of
  the Regional Strategy for its implementation in
  Latin America and the Caribbean

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Regional follow-up of the Madrid International
Plan of Action on Ageing main areas of work
developed by ECLAC
Source Latin American and Caribbean Demographic
Centre (CELADE) - Population Division of ECLAC.  
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Monitoring and assessment of the MIPAA and the
Regional Strategy for its implementation in Latin
America and the Caribbean main areas of
intervention of the regions countries
ISSUE AREAS OF INTERVENTION Number of countries
Social security Special protection for those unable to contribute or the poor 12
Social security Increased coverage or adjustment of pensions in the contributory system 7
Employment Legislation prohibiting age discrimination in the workplace 9
Employment Promotion of work for older workers 11
Entrepreneurship Development of credit opportunities for productive activities 6
Entrepreneurship Promotion of productive initiatives for older persons 9
Health services Inclusion of ageing in primary health care 6
Health services Pharmaceutical services (medicines) 8
Health services Specialized care (out-patient, hospital, home based, emergency) 12
Staff training University specialization in geriatrics or gerontology 6
Staff training Geriatric or gerontology training for health teams 10
Long-term care Development of community care alternatives 7
Long-term care Regulation of the opening and functioning of long-stay institutions 10
Physical environments Improving access to and quality of housing 12
Physical environments Provision of transport or special mobility benefits 9
Physical environments Specialized care (out-patient, hospital, home based, emergency) 9
Social environments Promotion of social and family support networks 14
Social environments Development of social participation 8
Social environments Prevention of abuse 18
Social environments Lifelong education opportunities 4
Source Prepared by CELADE - Population Division
of ECLAC, survey on programmes for older persons
sent out to 21 Latin American and Caribbean
countries, 2007
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Brasilia Declaration, 2007 main recommendations
for action
BRASILIA DECLARATION PRIORITIES FOR
IMPLEMENTING THE REGIONAL STRATEGY ON AGEING

• Increased coverage of social security systems
  (contributory and non-contributory)
• Access to decent employment in old age

• Care of disabled older persons
• Equitable access to health services
• Supervision of long-stay facilities
• Creation of palliative care services
• Access to health care for older people with HIV

• Promotion of lifelong learning
• Accessibility of public areas and adaptation of
  housing
• Elimination of discrimination and violence in old
  age
• Envejecimiento en casa
• Contribution of older persons to the care economy

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Brasilia Declaration, 2007 emphasis for
implementation and follow-up
BRASILIA DECLARATION MAIN AREAS OF
IMPLEMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP
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Contribution of ECLAC to supplement national
actions in the area of ageing and development

• We will support the design and implementation of
  relevant public policies, placing emphasis on
  mainstreaming the gender perspective and
  citizenship-building in actions geared towards
  older persons
• We will produce inputs in support of
  decision-making processes systems of indicators
  and research into issues relevant to the region
• We will create forums for the exchange of best
  practices and will provide the opportunity for
  technical skills to be strengthened (information,
  impact, etc.)
• As requested of ECLAC in the Brasilia Declaration

We will intensify our activities in the area of
ageing and development in order to foster and
strengthen efforts by the countries of the region
to adapt their policies to demographic change.
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• http//www.cepal.org/celade/brasilia2007