Page 74 - sesesp01_2002
P. 74
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ELDERLY
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE ELDERLY, AS REAL AS THEIR VULNERABILITIES ARE
de procesos distributivos pobreza y la exclusión social POVERTY: THAT GREAT OBSTACLE
equitativos, asignación de siguen siendo los principales
recursos, toma de decisiones impedimentos para la reali- Global poverty continues to be the key obstacle preventing this vision
participativa y sistemas judi- zación de los derechos hu- becoming reality. The goal of reducing poverty by half established by the
ciales efectivos. El informe manos de los mayores. international community seems unreachable — it would mean one thousand
de 1999 de la Alta Comisio- million people having a dollar a day by 2015. World Bank Statistics published in
nada de las Naciones Unidas INVESTIGACIÓN: 1999 reveal that the percentage of people who live in conditions of extreme
para los Derechos Humanos LA DIMENSIÓN AUSENTE poverty is 25% of the developing countries and reaches 50% in sub-Saharan
sostiene que es hora de que Africa. But poverty does not refer to income alone. As Amartya Sen shows us,
los gobiernos muestren avan- Las personas mayores son ‘poverty has to be seen as the denial of basic opportunities.’ The eradication is
ces mensurables en relación reconocidas como un grupo connected to peace and security, human rights, sustainable development and
con la Declaración sobre el vulnerable, pero no existe the conservation of the environment, as well as measurable advances towards
Derecho al Desarrollo. una recolección de informa- the attaining of equality, justice and diversity. Participation is now recognised as
ción sistemática sobre la an essential requirement for fulfilling the goals of reducing poverty.
EL TERREMOTO MUNDIAL magnitud y la naturaleza de
DEL ENVEJECIMIENTO su pobreza. En algunos paí- Poverty is a key obstacle to progress in human rights. The 1999 United Nations
ses, las personas mayores, High Commission Report on Human Rights holds that now is the time for
Estamos presenciando un especialmente las mujeres, governments to demonstrate measurable progress as regards the Declaration on
“terremoto” demográfico de ni siquiera están registradas the Right to Development (1986).
altas tasas de nacimientos y como un grupo independien-
muertes a bajas tasas de fer- te en los resultados de los THE WORLD AGEING EARTHQUAKE
tilidad y mortalidad, lo cual censos nacionales.
ha llevado a un aumento sin We are witnessing a demographic ‘earthquake’ that is going from high birth
precedentes del número de Las investigaciones rara and death rates to low fertility and mortality rates. But the developing world is
personas mayores. El mundo vez reflejan las inquietudes facing the harsh reality of ageing without wealth. A majority of the world
en desarrollo está enveje- de la tercera edad. Las dis- population of elderly people (61 per cent or 355 million people) lives in low-
ciendo antes de hacerse rico, cusiones sobre políticas pú- income countries. This percentage will grow to 70% by 2025, with women over
con consecuencias poten- blicas suelen girar en torno a 80 being the ones recording the most accelerated rates of increase.
cialmente traumáticas. La beneficios sociales como las
mayor parte de la población pensiones de jubilación. La The fact of the global increase in the ‘white-haired population’ being faster in
mundial de personas mayo- cobertura de estas pensiones the developing world is starting to be absorbed. And nevertheless, poverty among
res (el 61 por ciento ó 355 no constituye una meta rea- the elderly continues being overlooked in the social, economic and ethical
millones de personas) vive lista en la mayoría de los pa- debates of our time. The right to development of the elderly is routinely denied,
en países de bajos ingresos. íses en desarrollo. because ageing is considered to be a minority interest or a special needs case.
Este porcentaje aumentará
al 70 por ciento en 2025, Los efectos de la pobreza RESEARCH: THE MISSING DIMENSION
siendo las mujeres mayores sobre los mayores y sus fa-
de 80 años las que registran milias rara vez son aborda- Elderly people are recognised as a vulnerable group, but there is no systematic ➾
el crecimiento más rápido. dos a nivel de políticas o in- compilation of information about the magnitude and nature of their poverty.
versiones. No se reflejan en Research rarely reflects the experience or unease of the third age. Discussions
La pobreza de las perso- las Metas Internacionales de about public policies usually revolve around social benefits like retirement
nas mayores continúa siendo Desarrollo, que establecen pensions. But the universal coverage of pensions does not constitute a realistic
omitida en los debates socia- estándares para la reducción goal. The effects of poverty on the living standards of the elderly and their families
les, económicos y éticos. El de la pobreza. Eso significa are rarely tackled at policy or investment levels. They do not appear in the
derecho de la tercera edad al que un porcentaje significa- International Development Goals that presently set the standards for a reduction
desarrollo le es rutinariamen- tivo de los pobres está mar- in poverty. This means that a significant percentage of the world’s poor are being
te negado, porque el enveje- ginado de los programas de left out of the programmes in the fight against poverty. Current poverty diagnoses
cimiento es considerado un lucha contra la pobreza. show an overwhelming tendency towards the subjects of child nutrition, the
interés de minorías o un ca- education of children and young, mother-child mortality rates and reproductive
so de solicitud especial. La Los diagnósticos de po- health. The contributions that the elderly make to the family, the community and
breza muestran una abruma- national development on a daily basis are not noticed or supported.
dora inclinación hacia la nu-
The lack of information about the productive role that these elderly people
perform has led policy framers to assume that they are economically
Sesenta y más 79
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE ELDERLY, AS REAL AS THEIR VULNERABILITIES ARE
de procesos distributivos pobreza y la exclusión social POVERTY: THAT GREAT OBSTACLE
equitativos, asignación de siguen siendo los principales
recursos, toma de decisiones impedimentos para la reali- Global poverty continues to be the key obstacle preventing this vision
participativa y sistemas judi- zación de los derechos hu- becoming reality. The goal of reducing poverty by half established by the
ciales efectivos. El informe manos de los mayores. international community seems unreachable — it would mean one thousand
de 1999 de la Alta Comisio- million people having a dollar a day by 2015. World Bank Statistics published in
nada de las Naciones Unidas INVESTIGACIÓN: 1999 reveal that the percentage of people who live in conditions of extreme
para los Derechos Humanos LA DIMENSIÓN AUSENTE poverty is 25% of the developing countries and reaches 50% in sub-Saharan
sostiene que es hora de que Africa. But poverty does not refer to income alone. As Amartya Sen shows us,
los gobiernos muestren avan- Las personas mayores son ‘poverty has to be seen as the denial of basic opportunities.’ The eradication is
ces mensurables en relación reconocidas como un grupo connected to peace and security, human rights, sustainable development and
con la Declaración sobre el vulnerable, pero no existe the conservation of the environment, as well as measurable advances towards
Derecho al Desarrollo. una recolección de informa- the attaining of equality, justice and diversity. Participation is now recognised as
ción sistemática sobre la an essential requirement for fulfilling the goals of reducing poverty.
EL TERREMOTO MUNDIAL magnitud y la naturaleza de
DEL ENVEJECIMIENTO su pobreza. En algunos paí- Poverty is a key obstacle to progress in human rights. The 1999 United Nations
ses, las personas mayores, High Commission Report on Human Rights holds that now is the time for
Estamos presenciando un especialmente las mujeres, governments to demonstrate measurable progress as regards the Declaration on
“terremoto” demográfico de ni siquiera están registradas the Right to Development (1986).
altas tasas de nacimientos y como un grupo independien-
muertes a bajas tasas de fer- te en los resultados de los THE WORLD AGEING EARTHQUAKE
tilidad y mortalidad, lo cual censos nacionales.
ha llevado a un aumento sin We are witnessing a demographic ‘earthquake’ that is going from high birth
precedentes del número de Las investigaciones rara and death rates to low fertility and mortality rates. But the developing world is
personas mayores. El mundo vez reflejan las inquietudes facing the harsh reality of ageing without wealth. A majority of the world
en desarrollo está enveje- de la tercera edad. Las dis- population of elderly people (61 per cent or 355 million people) lives in low-
ciendo antes de hacerse rico, cusiones sobre políticas pú- income countries. This percentage will grow to 70% by 2025, with women over
con consecuencias poten- blicas suelen girar en torno a 80 being the ones recording the most accelerated rates of increase.
cialmente traumáticas. La beneficios sociales como las
mayor parte de la población pensiones de jubilación. La The fact of the global increase in the ‘white-haired population’ being faster in
mundial de personas mayo- cobertura de estas pensiones the developing world is starting to be absorbed. And nevertheless, poverty among
res (el 61 por ciento ó 355 no constituye una meta rea- the elderly continues being overlooked in the social, economic and ethical
millones de personas) vive lista en la mayoría de los pa- debates of our time. The right to development of the elderly is routinely denied,
en países de bajos ingresos. íses en desarrollo. because ageing is considered to be a minority interest or a special needs case.
Este porcentaje aumentará
al 70 por ciento en 2025, Los efectos de la pobreza RESEARCH: THE MISSING DIMENSION
siendo las mujeres mayores sobre los mayores y sus fa-
de 80 años las que registran milias rara vez son aborda- Elderly people are recognised as a vulnerable group, but there is no systematic ➾
el crecimiento más rápido. dos a nivel de políticas o in- compilation of information about the magnitude and nature of their poverty.
versiones. No se reflejan en Research rarely reflects the experience or unease of the third age. Discussions
La pobreza de las perso- las Metas Internacionales de about public policies usually revolve around social benefits like retirement
nas mayores continúa siendo Desarrollo, que establecen pensions. But the universal coverage of pensions does not constitute a realistic
omitida en los debates socia- estándares para la reducción goal. The effects of poverty on the living standards of the elderly and their families
les, económicos y éticos. El de la pobreza. Eso significa are rarely tackled at policy or investment levels. They do not appear in the
derecho de la tercera edad al que un porcentaje significa- International Development Goals that presently set the standards for a reduction
desarrollo le es rutinariamen- tivo de los pobres está mar- in poverty. This means that a significant percentage of the world’s poor are being
te negado, porque el enveje- ginado de los programas de left out of the programmes in the fight against poverty. Current poverty diagnoses
cimiento es considerado un lucha contra la pobreza. show an overwhelming tendency towards the subjects of child nutrition, the
interés de minorías o un ca- education of children and young, mother-child mortality rates and reproductive
so de solicitud especial. La Los diagnósticos de po- health. The contributions that the elderly make to the family, the community and
breza muestran una abruma- national development on a daily basis are not noticed or supported.
dora inclinación hacia la nu-
The lack of information about the productive role that these elderly people
perform has led policy framers to assume that they are economically
Sesenta y más 79
