Asia-Pacific countries should include the elderly in local social, cultural, economic and political activities, not only as a development initiative, but also a civil liberty, officials said.
Adequate resources should be allocated to help seniors lead a healthy, happy and financially sound life, they said.
HelpAge International Asia Pacific Network, an organization working on behalf of disadvantaged seniors in 17 countries, included those recommendations in a declaration at its annual conference last weekend in Beijing.
It is the Asia-Pacific region's first nongovernmental declaration devoted to ageing issues, officials said.
Besides giving suggestions on how to help the elderly in community health, poverty alleviation, emergencies, and family and community care issues, the declaration highlighted a challenge confronting the ageing: AIDS.
According to HelpAge International, Asia is home to the world's second largest AIDS population-6.4 million patients, most of whom are cared for by the elderly.
This responsibility is a burden for seniors because they live in a region already saddled with inadequate governmental and economic safety nets, the document said.
The elderly population is rising. So, too, is the number of seniors living with AIDS.
No age group is immune to the disease.
The declaration urges the Asian-Pacific governments to work hard to reduce the AIDS-related negative impact on the ageing population.
Nguyen Thi Kim Xuan, a United Nations expert on Asia-Pacific social and economic issues, welcomed the declaration.
She said it would help the world hear the voice of the world's largest ageing population at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in April.
She also said it would help the international society produce better ageing policies facilitating the world's social and economic development.
(China Daily November 13, 2001)
