Highlight 38/2022 – MIPAA Review Process as a means of Regional Governance of Ageing
Tamari Mtchedlidze, 17 June 2022
Demographic structure of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region has been changing for the past decades. According to statistical data, proportion of people aged 65 years and older increased for the past 20 years from 13.4 per cent to 17.5 per cent. The proportion of people aged 65 years and above is projected to increase in the UNECE region to 24.5 per cent by 2050.
To address the challenge of population ageing, UN Member States adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) in 2002 that offers a bold agenda for ageing-related policies in the 21st century. It focuses on three priority areas: older persons and development; advancing health and well-being into old age; and ensuring enabling and supportive environments. MIPAA imposed the responsibility on regional commissions to translate MIPAA into regional action plans, as a result of which, UNECE adopted its Regional Implementation Strategy (RIS). Follow-up of MIPAA is governed by review and appraisal process conducted every 5 years, that takes stock of the countries’ progress. UNECE coordinates this process that is concluded with a regional ministerial conference at which UNECE Member States adopt a declaration that sets the policy goals and priorities for the next five-year cycle in MIPAA/RIS implementation. Currently, UNECE region is conducting its 4th cycle review and appraisal to which 40 countries have contributed with their national progress reports.
Ministerial Conference on Ageing will be held in Rome, Italy on 16-17 June, 2022 to conclude the 4th cycle, identify challenges and set priorities for the next five year cycle of MIPAA/RIS implementation. Numerous features make these conferences efficient: Ministerial Declaration negotiated beforehand in-between member states and adopted at the conference that reaffirms states’ commitments to fulfill MIPAA/RIS and ensure older persons’ full enjoyment of all human rights, indivisible and inherent to all human beings, regardless of age. Moreover, synthesis report based on country reports represent the summary of 5-year cycle that showcase compilation of local governance perspectives on ageing related issues, approaches in various fields, achievements and challenges and is officially introduced to the member states at the Conference. Furthermore, high level representation facilitates bilateral meetings between the member states and various stakeholders that encourages importance of multilateralism in the field.
The theme of the Conference this year is “Joining forces for solidarity and equal opportunities throughout life”. Conference panels will address this theme through the lens of: promoting active and healthy ageing throughout life; ensuring access to long-term care and support for careers and families; mainstreaming ageing to advance a society for all ages. Both, Ministerial and Expert panels will ensure to accommodate different governance perspectives as from the Governments as well as from civil society. The role of each one is immense in realizing the potential of older persons, longer working life and ageing with dignity. Europe, as the oldest continent faces several challenges and it is of utmost importance to join forces to ensure suitable environment and to provide relevant services to accommodate the needs of older people. UNECE Ministerial Conference represents significant platform in this regard to achieve coherence in state policies and multilateral cooperation on regional level.
Tamari Mtchedlidze, Highlight 38/2022 – MIPAA Review Process as a means of Regional Governance of Ageing, 17 June 2022, available at www.meig.ch
The views expressed in the MEIG Highlights are personal to the author and neither reflect the positions of the MEIG Programme nor those of the University of Geneva.
Sources:
https://unece.org/population/ageing
https://population.un.org/wpp/
https://unece.org/population/events/ministerial-conference-ageing-2022