With the number of people aged 65 and over projected to more than double by the middle of the century, the rights and well-being of older persons must be prioritized in efforts to achieve a sustainable future, the UN said in a new report.
The World Social Report 2023 calls for concrete measures to support the greying global population, amidst escalating pension and healthcare costs.
Population ageing is a defining global trend of our time, according to the study, published by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
Countries can reap the benefits by giving everyone the chance to grow older in good health by promoting equal opportunities from birth.
“Together, we can address today’s inequalities for the benefit of tomorrow’s generations, managing the challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities that population ageing brings,” said Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.
Longer lifespans globally
In 2021, 761 million people worldwide were aged 65 and older, which will rise to 1.6 billion by 2050. The number of people aged 80 years or older is growing even faster.
People are living longer thanks to improvements in health and medical therapies, greater access to education and reductions in fertility.
Globally, a child born in 2021 can expect to live, on average, to age 71, with women living longer than men. This is nearly 25 years more than a baby born in 1950.
Northern Africa, Western Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are on track to experience the fastest growth in the number of older people over the next 30 years. Today, Europe and Northern America combined, have the highest share of this population.
Inequality in ageing
Increased global life expectancy reflects better health overall.
However, the report points to inequalities in our ageing world, because not everyone has benefited equally from the improvements in health and education that are driving this transformation.
While many older people are in excellent health or “economically active”, others live with ailments or are in poverty.
In more developed regions, pensions and other public transfer systems, provide over two-thirds of the consumption by older persons. Their counterparts in less developed regions tend to work longer and rely more on accumulated assets or family assistance.
Furthermore, an ageing global population also means a rise in the need for long-term care, a weakness exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, public spending in most countries has not been sufficient to cover the growing demand.
Read the full article on the UN News website.
