Population ageing - one of the most significant trends of the 21st century - represents both a cause for celebration and a challenge. To ensure that everyone's well-being is enhanced through this demographic shift, more efforts are needed to minimize lifelong inequalities and improve the life conditions of older people.

People aged 60 and older accounted for 12.3 per cent of global population in 2015, and by 2050, that number will rise to almost 22 per cent. Most of the projected growth of the older population is expected to take place in developing countries. Asia is home to more than half of the world's 901 million older persons, with 508 million people aged 60 or over. Another 177 million older persons reside in Europe, 75 million in North America, 71 million in Latin America and the Caribbean, 64 million in Africa and 6 million in Oceania.

In some countries, population ageing may lead to a proportionately smaller labour force. But whether this occurs, and its impact on the economy, will depend on many uncertain factors, including measures to increase the retirement age, on migration, and, ultimately, on the productivity of both people and machines.

Population ageing can potentially be a socially disruptive force, as social inequalities tend to be magnified in old age. For example, elderly men receive, on average, a 68 per cent higher income than women due to their longer formal employment and higher lifetime wages. This is particularly significant as the older population is predominantly female.

We at UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, could not agree more with the theme of this year's International Day of Older Persons - "Take a Stand against Ageism". We believe that reducing lifelong inequalities and embracing the contributions of older people offer tremendous prospects for development.

These efforts start in infancy, with safe deliveries, and continue with good childhood nutrition and excellent schools. They require ensuring that sexual and reproductive health and rights are universal, that gender equality is assured, that social protection and income security extend to all older persons, and that wealth is transferred to younger generations.

Discrimination and ageism in the workplace may be a growing concern in countries where life expectancy and good health encourage older people to keep working, especially if youth unemployment is high. Societies may need to alter their expectations about the natural age of retirement, or the public and private roles of older persons, as they remain increasingly active.

Ageing populations rely on various sources of financial support - from labour income and assets, to their families and public programmes. This means that ageing countries will need to foster intergenerational dialogue and put in place policies that promote mutual understanding, and empower young and old alike to support one another.

UNFPA continues to help countries respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing by promoting policy dialogue and supporting training, research and data collection disaggregated by age and sex. We are currently reviewing 15 years of progress towards the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and supporting the exchange of lessons learned for a healthy ageing world and to capitalize on the second demographic dividend of a more productive and prosperous older population.

Population ageing is a transformative force in every country that will test the existing structures of our economies, households and societies. Let us work together to ensure that all people can age with dignity and enjoy a lifetime of contribution, integration and well-being.

Tetum Version

Estetamentu ba Okaziaun Loron Internasional ba Idozos husi Direitor Ezekutivu UNFPA, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin

01 Outubro 2016

Forsa Transformativu husi Populasaun Idozos

Populasaun Idozos  - asuntu signifikante ida iha  sekulu 21 - reprezenta buat rua  kauza ba selebrasaun no mos obstaklus . Atu garantia katak hadia ema idak-idak nia moris diak liu husi mudansa demografiku, presiza esforsu lubuk ida  atu minimiza dizigualidade moris nian no hadia kondisaun moris ba ema idozos sira.

Ema ho idade 60 no liu globalmente hamutuk pursentu 12.3 iha tinan 2015, no iha tinan 2050, numeru nee sei aumenta ba besik pursentu 22. Maioria numeru husi ema idozos hirak nee sei akontese iha nasaun hirak nebe sei dezenvolve hela. Rejiaun Asia maka fatin ba liu metade husi milaun 901 ema idozos sira, hamutuk milhaun 508 ema ho idade 60 ka liu. Numeru milhaun 177 seluk ema idozos sira hela iha Eropa, milhaun 75 iha Norte Amerika, milhaun 71 iha Amerika Latina no Karibia, milhaun 64 iha Afrika no milhaun 6 iha Oseania.

Iha nasaun balu, populasaun idozos sira sai hanesan forsa servisu nebe kiik. Maibe se ida nee akontese no impaktu ba ekonomia, sei depende ba fatores lubuk ida nebe la serteza , inklui sasukat atu hasae idade pensionista, iha imigrasaun no, ikus liu produtividade ba ema no makina sira.

Populasaun idozos sira bele sai mos hanesan forsa disturbasaun no dizigualidade sosial sei akontese bainhira iha idade idozos sira.Ezemplu, mane idozos sira simu, aproximada, pursente 68 vensimentu duke feto sira tamba sira ninia kontraktu formal no taxa nebe aas durante moris tomak. Ida nee partikularmente signifikante tebes tamba populasaun idozos sira barak liu maka feto.

Ami iha UNFPA, Fundus Nasoens Unidas ba Populasaun, emfaze ho tema nebe maka iha Loron Mundial ba Idozos - "/Foti asaun kontra idade idozos". Ami fiar katak hamenus dizigualidade no simu kontribuisaun husi ema idozos sira sei oferese prosperu  boot ba dezenvolvimentu,

Esforsu hirak foin hahu, ho partus seguru, no kontinua ho nutrisaun no edukasaun ba labarik sira. Buat hirak nee presiza garantia Saude seksual no reproduktiva universal, mantein igualdade  jeneru, iha nebe protesaun sosial no seguransa ba vensimentu iha ba ema idozos sira, no mos riku soin transfere ba jerasaun tuir mai.

Diskriminasaun no idade idozos iha fatin servisu sai hanesan preokupasaun iha nasaun sira iha nebe expektativa ba moris no saude diak ba ema idozos sira presiza tebes atu sira kontinua servisu, liu-liu numeru dezempregu ba juventude sira aas. Sosiedade sira presiza altera sira nia expektasaun kona-ba idade reforma, ka papel husi ema idozos sira iha fatin publiku no privadu, bainhira sira sei ativu hela.

Populasaun idozos depende ba rekursus oi-oin finansas nian - husi vensimentu servisu no riku soin, ba sira nia familia no programa sira. Ida nee signifika katak nasaun hirak nebe maka iha idade populasaun idozos sei presiza dialogu interjerasaun no tau iha politika katak promove kumpriensaun mutua, no reforsa jovem no ema idozos sira atu suporta malu.

UNFPA kontinua suporta nasaun sira hodi responde ba oportunidade no obsaklus nebe ema idozos sira hasoru liu husi promosaun dialogu kona-ba politika no suporta treinamentu, peskija no kolesaun dadus bazeia ba idade no seksu. Ami agora dadaun reve hela progresu tinan 15 implementasaun Planu Aksaun Internasional Madrid kona-ba Idozos no suporta lisaun nebe aprende tiha ona ba populasaun idozos nebe saudavel iha mundo no uza oportunidade  proveitu demografiku ba populasaun idozos nebe produtivu no prosperu.

Populasaun idozos maka tranformasaun forsa iha nasaun idak-idak nebe sei koko ita nia struktura ekonomia, uma kain no sosiedade sira. Mai ita hotu servisu hamutuk atu garantia katak ema hotu iha idade nebe moris ho dignidade no goza kontribuisaun no moris diak iha sira nia moris tomak.