YOUR EXCELLENCIES

DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES

Ladies and gentlemen
 

It is my honour to be here today and to share this global experience with you.

As a society we have come a long way from the civilisations of which some have even sacrificed the lives of their elderly regarding them as a burdening and unproductive family and society members to todays full respect of this most dignified age of human life and international plan of action asking for full integration of the elderly into the family and community active life

If the twentieth century goals and achievements reached, where the every day worldwide exercise of basic human rights to health, to financial security in the age of old, employment and education, what would the vision of the goals of the forthcoming years of the emerging century be.

What we can already envisage is that we are now facing the century of major and rapid changes of our human society - economic, social, demographic, cultural, technological.

The frequency and magnitude of such world gatherings as we are having in Madrid today on aging, in Geneva yesterday on tobacco free initiative, in Mexico city on health development and in many other parts of the world on numerous issues - on traffic, health and environment issue, on sustainable development, etc. Are the evidence of the most positive aspect of a new way of communicating, of existance and operating in the world we can be together, we can share, learn and provide a strongly committed worldwide action.

In the era of fast and widespread moving of capital, of fantastic traffic and multimedial potentials of the contemporary world and consequent ever lively migrations, a global set of principals on any issue concerning needs and rights of the world population are an imperative as well as an outcomming global action.

At the same time we have to recognize our differences as well, to share the know-how and the experience and finally the action from a community and national to a regional and global level.

The data show a rapid demographic transition of the developed world - its aging and catching up by its still developing parts.

We desire to prolong life, and we globally succeeded, providing that we disregard the failures of the world society such as wars, major elementary disasters, new emerging communicable diseases, widespread presence of risk factors and risky lifestyles causing non-communicable diseases. It' would not be possible to prolong life unless we improve the very same life quality the quality of life, individual, family and society, at all ages - intrauterine life, life of the new born and ever after is our answer and aim by which to achieve its further and dignified prolongation.

As Director General of the World Health Organization Dr. G. Brundtland has said we are celebrating this event. The prolongation of human life for 30 years now.

What we want to do now is to safeguard the quality and the dignity of these prolonged years of life of each individual person in the world and from a privilege of some make it an opportunity for all.

We are also aware of the impact of these demographic changes on the economies, on labour market, on health expenditures, on pension policies, on family lifestyles. And this is where we have to adjust and to introduce anew

But let us not forget that there are still many answers blowing in the wind about the demographic changes the world society is yet to experience in the years ahead, about the global economy outcome and impact on the world societal anew principles and goals only to be set up as yet and accomplished the reforms needed and already undertaken in

The field of health, pensions and others speak themselves about the need to embark upon the novelties.

How to improve the quality of life in a society is to be answered on the basis of demographic, economic, cultural, political and other characteristics and specificities at the local community and national level at first, joined by the regional action in the mean time and thereafter, but sharing experiences of the others and of global principles, and action plans.

The population of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is largely affected by the aging process. The share of people over the 60 years of age in the year 2000 was 18.5%. While the population of over 60 years has since the Second World War increased three times the population of over 80 years of age has been enlarged for almost four times in the same period, and their share in the population was more than doubled. The share of people younger of 20, however, kept decreasing continuously.

The elderly in fry are predominantly living 1n a family milieu! Only 15% of them are living alone.

The aging of Yugoslav population will continue so that by the mid-twenties of this century almost every fourth inhabitant of Yugoslavia will be over 60 years of age.

There are 48 homes for old persons in state ownership and for the time being none in the private sector.

Out of the elderly population of about 2,000,000, almost 45,000 are social welfare beneficiaries [other than pension funds].

The pensions are mostly very low and not sufficient to cover the vital needs of the retired. The opportunity to work in the age of 60 and over are scarce. More than 50% of pensions are lower than average and the average is insufficient for vital needs

The most important segments of the present FRY system of social welfare in old age are: old age pension and disability insurance, health insurance, war veterans care, public welfare, family and relatives welfare.

For the time being the forms of the social security include guardianship, adoption, accommodation with another family or in an establishment, material and financial support, nonrecurrent aid in money and kind, home assistance and nursing, allowance for being assisted and aided or nursed by another person etc.

A network of specialised establishments for old people as to make it possible for them to satisfy various specific needs is developed, such as: visiting health care service, visiting nurse service, gerontology clubs [about 50 altogether], old peoples homes [48], geriatric hospital wards, home aid services, sheltered accommodation.

The gerontological societes of Serbia [established in 1973] and of Montenegro [established in 1993] and the federal board of gerontological societes [1993] by its many activities on humanisation of living conditions of the elderly, of the aged and aging, by international cooperation, publishing activities etc. Have largely contributed to the improvement of the quality of life of the elderly in FRY and have actively supported the awareness of the society of its demographic changes and needs to adjust to it.

The contemporary Yugoslav approach as to the integration of all the elderly into the active forms of life in accordance with the world wide action in the field is the essence of the new Yugoslav plan of action. It comprises the following set of goals to be achieved and measures to be implemented:
 

• Respect of the personality and human dignity of the elderly,
• Care for their living conditions, housing and human needs,
• Community family support and protection,
• Recognition of the; needs for socialising,
• The exercise of the rights to social and economic security at old age,
• Recognition of differentiation of the elderly population as to capability, capacity and needs,
• Recognition of the need of tie elderly to remain in the desired family and social milieu,
• Recognition of the needs for self and interest organising,
• Recognition of the creative capabilities, working experience and the need for active participation of the elderly in working environment, in particular to the right to the assignment on a task corresponding to their psycho-physical capabilities
• Recognition of the right to have effective health care,
• To have economic independence, as well as additional financial assistance and humanitarian assistance when needed„
• Respect of the democratic rights of the elderly as to religious, spiritual, cultural and other needs,
• For special social care of the disabled and neglected elderly.
• The special rights to care for victims of domestic violence,

And others.

Mr. President,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

With due respect of what has already been done and achieved by the international community, we expect and sincerely hope that the global set of principles will be implemented all over the planet, to at least improve the conditions of the life of each elderly person in the world and thus provide an opportunity for all to a prolonged life in dignity.