We all know that we are living through a time of global population growth unprecedented inhuman history. The number of people in the world has doubled since 1970, and will grow further, from 7 to 10 billion, by 2050. But less well-known is the fact that the world is ageing as well as growing. There are currently 868 million older people in the world, and by 2050 this number will have reached more than 2 billion – 21 per cent of the world’s population. And most will live in developing countries. Yet, to listen to most discussions about international development, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was only younger people who mattered. We have produced this publication because, while the number and proportion of older people in the world grows so dramatically, discussions about international development do not give sufficient consideration to its implications – to the challenges and opportunities this remarkable reality present.
The articles within this report represent a range of views from high profile thought leaders, development experts and academics, about how population ageing should be taken into account in development thinking. The message that resonates throughout the report is that older people have a right to be valued for who they are, have needs that must be taken into account and are a global asset, making contributions to their families and communities that need to be recognised and supported
Facing the facts: The truth about ageing and development
Извор: WUNRN – 10.02.2015
