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Among the world’s elderly population, 52 per
cent lived in Asia and the Pacific in 2002 and this
is projected to increase to 59 per cent in 2025. The
region is the most rapidly ageing region of the world.
Older persons in Asia and the Pacific are becoming
a larger and more visible part of the social landscape.
In response to the challenges posed by population
ageing, the Second World Assembly on Ageing, convened
by the United Nations at Madrid in April 2002, adopted
the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing,
setting policy direction in three major areas: (a)
ageing and development; (b) health and well-being
into old age; and (c) enabling and supportive environments
for ageing. At the regional level, in 1999 Governments
in Asia and the Pacific adopted the Macao Plan of
Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific, which identified
major areas of concern and priorities for action on
ageing. It has been noted that there is a great concordance
between the Macao and Madrid plans of action.
A regional survey on national policies and programmes
on ageing was conducted by the ESCAP secretariat in
June 2002. The Asia-Pacific Seminar on Regional Follow-up
to the Second World Assembly on Ageing (Shanghai,
China, 23-26 September 2002) reviewed the results
of the survey and identified priorities and key actions
to enhance the implementation of commitments made
under the Madrid and Macao plans of action. It adopted
the Regional Implementation Strategy for the Madrid
International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002 and the
Macao Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific
1999, known as the Shanghai Implementation Strategy.
The major areas for action recommended in the Shanghai
Implementation Strategy are: (a) older persons and
development; (b) advancing health and well-being into
old age; (c) ensuring enabling and supportive environments;
and (d) implementation and follow-up. In each area,
key action points are identified for national and
regional action which takes into consideration the
results of the 2002 survey on ageing and national
circumstances.
The present document contains the full text of the
Shanghai Implementation Strategy, as adopted by the
Asia-Pacific Seminar on Regional Follow-up to the
Second World Assembly on Ageing; it is submitted to
the Commission for its endorsement.
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