Presenter Name and Region/Country

www.globalagewatch.org

Scale and rate of global population ageing

Increases in all regions

Source: UNDESA Population Division, Population Ageing and Development 2012, Wall Chart, 2012; UNDESA Population Division, World Population Prospects: the 2012 Revision, 2013

What is the Index? • First-ever measure of quality of life and well-being of older

people around the world

• Uses the latest comparative and quantitative data available internationally from World Bank, WHO, ILO, UNESCO and Gallup World View

• Promotes better understanding of the circumstances of older people globally

• Covers 89% of the world’s older people in 91 countries

• Is inspired by the Human Development Index and involves a pioneering application of human development methodology

Why is the Index needed?• Helps understand challenges and learn from success, prompt

more research and improved data collection, especially in developing countries

• Provides easy access to existing globally comparable data

• A lens through which all countries can explore some basic questions:

• Do we have a universal pension? If not why not?

• How does the health service deliver to people in later life?

• What are the employment conditions and educational status of older citizens?

• Why are views of older people necessary for successful policy making?

Concepts • Age disaggregated data is the key to give ageing visibility

• Policy responses on ageing should strengthen capabilities and broaden opportunities of people of all ages

• Income security, good health, employment and education and capacity to participate in communities are essential for ageing well

• Index is built deliberately on human development principles which put people at the centre of economic policy

• Domains and indicators chosen as they reflect views of older people on issues most important to them

• Greater use of age specific comparative evidence is recommendation within 2012 HelpAge/UNFPA report ‘Ageing in the 21st century – a celebration and a challenge’

Four domains and thirteen indicators

Global Rankings

Global AgeWatch Index and overall rankings

Key Findings • History counts - progressive social welfare policies for all

their citizens across the life-course

• Money is not everything –‘smart’ age-focussed spending needed

• Ageing well requires action- social progress doesn’t guarantee the wellbeing of all

• It’s never too soon to invest in ageing

• Income security for all older people is investment for all generations

• Ensuring access to quality healthcare is vital

• Better data needed – lack of internationally comparable data in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean

BRICS have 40% of world population 60+ and 25% global GDP

Region or country name• Regional/or national Policy points add here

• eg African Union, UNESCAP, ECLAC, OAS

• Regional Development Banks

• Age Demands Action calls

• ADA 2013 highlights

Overall and domain rankings for Africa

Overall and domain rankings for Asia

Overall and domain rankings for Europe

Overall and domain rankings for Latin America and the Caribbean

Overall and domain rankings for North America and Oceania

Global, regional and national policy relevance • Post 2015 process - practical contribution to the “data

revolution” called for in the new development framework

• A global framework to measure progress on ‘leaving no one behind’

• Keeping watch: the first steps in establishing a full understanding of the lives of older people around the world

• Demonstrates need to improve international data sets on ageing

• Regional or national point (add here)

Partnering for next steps

• Extend the Index to cover all countries, to refine and extend its reach and coverage and to disaggregate data by sex

• Include domain on the political and civil rights of older people

• Have data broken down by groups within each country - rural areas, towns and cities, richer and poorer areas of a country, different age groups of older people

• Constructing separate indices for older women and men

• Pilot in national contexts

• Explore how new data from national sources can develop the Index further

• Set the standard for ageing well everywhere

Thank you!