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Doha, October 01 (QNA) – The issue of official and popular adaptation to the increasing number of elderly individuals in societies receives great attention, especially with those who have functional capabilities in countries with aging population. The capability to carry out essential functions and partake in everyday activities is influenced not solely by an individual’s inherent capacity but also by the social and physical environments in which they reside. Supportive environments play a pivotal role in assisting older individuals to maintain their activity levels and independence as they progress in age.
In 2023, the International Day of Older Persons highlights the importance of “Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons Across Generations”, adopted 75 years ago, as representatives from around the world with different legal, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, contributed to writing this declaration, which is the first document articulating the fundamental human rights, recognizing this milestone, and looking to a future that delivers on these promises.
The number of older people (defined as those aged 65 years or older) tripled from around 260 million in 1980 to 761 million in 2021. The share of the population aged 60 years is expected to increase to 1.4 billion by 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050, according to United Nations figures.
Since 1990, every year the world celebrates the International Day of Older Persons, in order to draw attention to the importance of this group in societies, and to take into account their feelings in the late stages of life. In 2003, United Nations General Assembly adopted the International Plan of Action on Ageing, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing, and to spread the culture of healthy aging among members of society and the elderly themselves, while recalling the fact that good health in old age is a natural result of following a healthy lifestyle from a young age, including expanding digital integration for the elderly, taking into account social and cultural standards and the right to independence.
Globally, babies born in 2022 are expected to live 71.7 years on average, 25 years longer than those born in 1950, thanks to health care and sustainable development efforts, without forgetting that population aging is moving forward and irreversibly. In 2021, 1 in 10 people worldwide were aged 65 or above. In 2050, this age group is projected to account for 1 in 6 people globally.
According to global statistics, women tend to live longer than men and thus comprise the majority of older persons. In 1950, women could expect to live almost four years more than men globally. In 2021, the difference between the two had increased to more than five years.
The United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) is an opportunity to bring together governments, civil society, international agencies, academia, the media, and the private sector to improve the lives of older people, their families, and the communities in which they live. Population ageing is poised to become one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century, with implications for nearly all sectors of society, including labour and financial markets, the demand for goods and services, such as housing, transportation and social protection, as well as family structures and intergenerational ties.
Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and the UN WOMEN and with the support from the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), published a document entitled “Tackling abuse of older people.” The document outlined five key priorities for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 20212030, the most important of which is responding to any abuse of older persons and, hence, contribute to improving their health, well-being and dignity.
In the State of Qatar, this age group received early attention, so housing Law No. 23 of 1972 was issued on the provision of residential homes at the government’s expense for elderly people, who meet the conditions stipulated in the law. In 2007, with the regulating of housing laws, the Qatari legislator issued Law No. 2 of 2007 on housing system that guarantees the right of Qatari citizens to housing, whether they are elderly or others.
Qatar National Vision 2030 has allocated special provisions for the elderly, providing them with many health and social services and integrated support through several ministries and different entities. The Cabinet in the State of Qatar had issued Resolution No. 26 of 2019 which was ratified by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the establishment of the National Committee for the Affairs of Woman, Children, the Elderly and People with Disabilities, headed by the Minister of Social Development and Family.
For its part, the Ministry of Social Development and Family affirmed that the State of Qatar attaches great importance to protecting and promoting the rights of the elderly, as they are an integral part of the fabric of the Qatari family and society, and as the percentage of citizens over the age of 65 is 2% of the population, indicating that the State has taken many measures at the legislative and executive levels to implement their rights within the framework of integrated social development policies, which are based on national references, foremost of which is the permanent constitution of the State of Qatar, Qatar National Vision 2030, and development plans and strategies.
In this context, the State of Qatar has implemented prominent legislation in the field of elderly rights work, especially in the areas of “the contribution of the elderly to sustainable development” and “economic security”, as the Social Insurance Law gives the elderly who is over 60 years old, and does not have a capable breadwinner or sufficient source of income to live on the opportunity to obtain a social insurance pension in addition to financial assistance and other allowances and exemptions, including housing.
The Ministry of Social Development and Family is trying to integrate the elderly into the digital world, and has created 33 online services on its website to facilitate access to services, without requiring them to attend in person, while continuing the services provided by the Ministry to the groups concerned, as well as legislative, legal and administrative measures to provide the means that consolidate the efforts provided to the elderly, and develop and modernize them within the framework of integrated social development.
Moreover, the Ministry of Health provides special care for those over the age of 60, not to mention the efforts of civil society through various volunteer teams, within an integrated framework that preserves an extended legacy that carries the values of the past for future generations. In the government service centers, priority services are given to the elderly, providing them with the necessary assistance to complete all transactions, removing all obstacles that could prevent them from living in dignity and prosperity with their families and society, and ensuring their participation in the construction and development process at all levels.
The Center for Empowerment and Care of the Elderly (Ehsan) also provides integrated services that include providing nursing teams and home care services to the elderly regarding their health affairs, and coordinating with the family on a regular basis to ensure their psychological and health. The center also provides shelter housing for the elderly who do not have families to care for them due to their special circumstances, besides various services, including entertainment and social care, as the work of the Ehsan Center is based on religious and social values that urge respect for the elderly, their full care, and the preservation of their dignity, in addition to activating their role in the family and providing devices that can take care of the elderly in need.
At the regional and international levels, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is active in providing health and social care services and relief services in more than 14 countries around the world, according to the Ministry of Social Development and Family. (QNA)
