Q: My name is Fatima Tiguet (sp?) and I come from South Africa. Your Excellency, my dear brother, taking into account that one of the main differences between the first assembly on ageing held in Vienna 20 years ago and the situation nowadays is the increase of elderly people in the developing countries. How can the NGOs have to face the challenge to integrate ageing in the process of development?
SG: Thank you very much Mr. President. Let me say that the question of factoring the ageing process into economical development is not an issue for the NGOs alone. Governments, private sectors, all stakeholders should see it as an essential part of our development plans. And I would hope that for those who have not come through this problem, this Conference will wake them up and realize that we have an important group, an important asset here, whose talents we will have to use and whose needs will have to be factored into all our development plans. And I think the NGOs can work with the Governments, with the private sector in partnership to ensure that this is done, particularly in the area of social welfare schemes and pensions and ensuring that those who have the health and capacity, and the ability to work should be allowed to work as soon as they can. It is happening in some societies already, but there is often a potential that needs to be thought through.
Q: I am Maryse Pachou from the NGO Committee on Ageing in Geneva. Mr. Secretary General, the international treaties on human rights do not reflect the age as a factor of discrimination. Do you think that the discrimination faced by older people in areas such as access to health, social and political participation and labor market and so on is a reason to demand an international convention to eliminate any kind of discrimination based on age? Thank you.
SG: The second question is Human Rights and if the discrimination of older people should be considered by the Commission, by the UN and they introduce a Covenant. I would say that even without a Covenant, even without a new Law, the laws and the books would make discrimination of any group, whether based on age and others, against the spirit of the Human Rights Declaration. And I think we have enough, and I know that in some cases, we already have had cases in courts, where older people have won a case for age discrimination. Whether we are at a stage where one would want to come up with a new Covenant, a new law, I am not sure yet. But I think we have enough on the books now, if only we could apply them honestly and fairly that would prevent the kind of discrimination your question alluded to.
Q: Secretary-General of the UN, my name is Ana Echenique, from the Confederations of Consumers and users (CECU). Since ecological cycles and processes are the natural means of the biosphere for transforming the ageing of the planet. Would you say that environmental degradation is an irreversible form of ageing that hinders the renovation of life cycles? Thank you.
SG: On the question of the environmental degradation, I don't think it is irreversible. I think we have the technology and the means to reverse it if we have the will. If the political will is there to do it. And if we as individuals are determined to make the choices that we can make. We can make choices with what we buy , we can make choices even in deciding which policies we support. We sometime believe that we are helpless and we have to leave this to government, but as individuals we have power. Individuals can refuse to deal with companies that are degrading their environment. They can refuse to buy and deal with companies that believe in green technology and this encourages them. Government policies can have an impact. We can influence governments to make sure they come up with the right environmental laws and incentives that will help us contain the environmental degradation because we are currently exploiting the resources of the planet in a manner that is not sustainable and will create problems for our children and their children.
Q: Your Excellency, could you share your vision for a global society for all ages based on the principles of well being, self fulfillment and participation.
SG: The last question was the question of global societies for all ages and what is your dream of it. I think this morning I did give a clear vision as to what I see as global society for all ages. It's a society where regardless of age, one is allowed to make the contribution one is capable of. A society where one is not categorized and put in the corner because of age. A society in which when we plan for the needs of society we look at the needs of all categories of society. A society that plans ahead and ensures that we manage our affairs in a manner that all of us, young, middle age and the older generations will have their share of the resources and the benefits that governments can offer and hopefully rely on the wisdom and the maturity and the experience older generations bring. I mean I can speak for myself growing up in Africa where we respect the aged and grey hair and that's why I kept mine. I got lots of advice, lots of help from older uncles and aunts, extended family. There was always an old person to go to, to get advice, whether it would come in a form of proverb or something and we always used proverbs to teach our children. Just to give you an example, if a young son, a young man came home and said, "Dad, I am extremely angry with this boss of mine. He is so difficult, I am walking tomorrow and give him a piece of my mind". They won't argue with you, they would ask you "And then what, after you have insulted your boss and told him, then what". And they would leave you with a proverb says "Young man, be patient. You don't hit a man on the head, when you have your fingers between his teeth? And that's all", and you have to sort it out, I mean so, you grow and you learn. Thank you very much. *****