IV. Implementation and follow up

15) NATIONAL MECHANISMS ON AGEING

It must be emphasized that Governments and other national actors should play a key role in the implementation of commitments on ageing.

Many countries in the region have developed national policies, plans of action or legislation on ageing. For those who have adopted a national plan of action on ageing in response to the recommendations of the Macao Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, the challenge is to implement their plans and find ways to overcome difficulties in resources, knowledge, expertise and other areas. For those countries that have not yet developed a national plan on ageing, immediate action should be taken.

Key actions:

• Put into place comprehensive and systematic frameworks at the national level for gathering data and information and undertaking research to identify the circumstances and needs of older persons, as well as options and priorities for policy action on ageing;
• Encourage the use of the Research Agenda on Ageing for the 21st Century endorsed by the Valencia Forum and presented to the Second World Assembly on Ageing as a guide to the formulation of national research frameworks;
• Enhance the participation of NGOs, older persons' associations and other sectors of civil society in the implementation of the regional and international plans of action on ageing, through their participation in the review of national policies and programmes and national implementation, while private sector representation or participation in major projects and programmes should also be encouraged;
• Establish indicators to measure the impacts of strategies to facilitate governments and other national actors in the implementation process;
• Develop, in those countries that do not yet have a national policy or plan of action on ageing, measures that would allow a systematic review of implementation of their commitments on ageing.

16) REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Countries in the region vary greatly in their economic, social and political situations. Despite the economic, social and cultural diversities in the region, population ageing is a common challenge that every country will face. Regional and international cooperation will facilitate the exchange of information and experience among governments, and their development partners in the implementation of programmes for older persons and to cope with population ageing.

Key actions:

• Promote regional and international cooperation to support national implementation processes;
• Facilitate more inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral collaboration among relevant organizations in the region;
• Promote inter-country exchanges of information and experience on ageing through participation in sub-regional, regional and inter-regional activities, including South-to-South cooperation;
• Promote the inclusion of ageing-related issues in policies, programmes and meetings of all relevant regional bodies;
• Encourage United Nations bodies and agencies and other international organisations to appoint and/or strengthen focal points on ageing, conduct training activities and support advocacy aimed at the mainstreaming of ageing issues in development policies and programmes;
• Strengthen the role of ESCAP as the United National regional focal point on ageing and promote its role in providing technical assistance and advisory services as well as coordinating regional activities on ageing;
• Support regular review by ESCAP, as specified in the Macao Plan of Action on Ageing for Asia and the Pacific, of national policies on ageing and implementation of international and regional commitments on ageing through regional surveys and review meetings;
• Support ESCAP in its role of facilitating the development of a regional network on ageing.

^Return to top

Back to Shanghai Implementation Strategy