UN 2007 Ministerial Declaration 'a society for all ages'
MINISTERIAL DECLARATION “A SOCIETY FOR ALL AGES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES” as adopted by Ministers and Heads of Delegation at the UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing, Léon, Spain, 6-8 November 2007
Art 12
We recognize that accessibility, dignity, quality standards and most particularly the protection from elder abuse and neglect present important challenges in care provision. We also recognize and support the contributions caregivers, both men and women, make to society. Men and women of all ages should have equitable and universal access to health care and social services and assistance in accordance with their needs as well as to facilities and services that meet approved standards. These standards must take into account the fundamental principle of treating everyone with dignity. Adequate public resources, strong formal and informal long-term care systems, specialized and sensitized care professionals, and quality assurance mechanisms remain vital prerequisites to providing quality care for all.
This article is part of the Ministerial Declaration at the UNECE Ministerial Conference on Ageing in 2007. This was an official review meeting to measure the implementation of the UN / Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002 (MIPAA2002), as a result of NGO pressure. Every 5 years a new official review has to take place, the next in 2012. In such a review process all national governments have to report the progress they made with implementing MIPAA2002 and they must (!) demande NGO's for their comments.
To full understanding of this article the advise is to also read the documents of WHO/Inpea and the Daphne/AGE-project on this website. There the subject of protecting elderly from abuse and neglect is no longer prohibited to the care institutions and no longers settled in the social system only. Taking the matter serious means that next to the Health/Long Term Care system and Social provisions, also Justice is involved.
So here is the political opportunity. This Project 'EuROPEAN' will publish its results in December 2011. By using this open 2.0 webplatform we allow policy makers, civil servants and NGO's to take notice of our developments, to comment and contibute to the views and statements and to use the insights to adapt national policies and strategies. And through it we inform the relevant policy levels of EU and UNECE on our progress to allow them to demand a specific review on this subject.
Here are the most relevant documents and websites. Please visit the websites to find the document writen in your own language and documents from your own government.
Ministerial Declaration 2007 "A Society for all Ages: Challenges and Opportunities"
The website with all relevant documents at this review in English, French, Russian and Spanish
All the available County Reports in the preparation of the meeting