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Lanka's population ageing fast - Minister Samaraweera

by Nadira Gunatilleke

In Sri Lanka nearly ten per cent of the population belong to old category and it is estimated that by 2050, a quarter of our population would belong to this group. This unprecedented ageing trend will definitely have an impact not only on the change in the population structure but also on the provision of health, social, economic and spiritual care for the increasing number of older persons which is going to be doubled within a couple of decades time, Social Welfare Minister Ravindra Samaraweera said.

He was speaking at the HelpAge International (HAI) Asia Pacific Regional Conference held recently in Colombo. Minister Samaraweera said that to face the future challenge, the Social Welfare Ministry while upgrading existing programs for the care and welfare of the elders will have to introduce legislation by an Act of Parliament No. 09 of 2000 to protect the rights of the older persons. In this connection, institutional arrangement by way of a National Council on Elders has been created. HelpAge Sri Lanka is the leading NGO working with and for the older persons to improve the quality of lives represented in this council. The organisation has been of immense support for last two and half decades not only for policy formulation but also with preparation of a Plan of Action for older persons.

The Social Welfare Ministry will make all efforts to implement the UN recommendations since 1982 to date and special emphasis will be placed to implement the recommendations of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing by working in close collaboration with Non Governmental sector organisations like HelpAge Sri Lanka.

"We in Sri Lanka venerate and hold older people as our guides and precious human resource. The old is the repository of wisdom and experience and to be looked after by their families", he added.

Health, Nutrition and Social Welfare Minister P.Dayaratne said that Sri Lanka's National Policy on Elders and plans are updated since the National Seminar in 1991 in association with Social Services Ministry, UNFPA, UNDP, UN ESCAP. "My Ministry has established a separate division to look for the issues of Elders, Youth Displaced and Displaced vulnerable (YEDD). This unit works in close collaboration with the Social Welfare Ministry and the National Council on Elders", he said.

HelpAge Sri Lanka is the main consultative NGO mainly on matters of elder persons and subject of ageing and works through the Government - National Committee on Ageing since 1986 and today as a member of the National Council on Elders established under the Parliament Act No. 09 - Protection of the Rights of the Older Persons - 2000, added the Minister.

HAI member organisations from 22 countries in the Asia Pacific Region and representatives from UN ESCAP and the Social Commission for Asia Pacific Region took part in this event. The regional conference 2002 was of special significance as it was their first regional conference since the second world assembly on ageing which took place in Madrid, Spain in April 2002. HAI holds their AGM of their member organisations in the Asia Pacific Region every year to discuss issues relating to older persons and to plan activities for the next twelve months.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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