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“Leaving No One Behind in an Ageing World” is the “Leaving No One Behind in an Ageing World” is the United Nations World Social Report 2023, a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of global population ageing. It explores how the world is undergoing a permanent demographic shift toward older populations—and what must be done to ensure all people can age with dignity, health, and economic security.
It explains that population ageing is not a crisis, but a global success story—the result of longer lifespans, improvements in health, education, gender equality, and reduced fertility. However, it also warns that inequality, poverty, weak care systems, and inadequate policies risk leaving millions of older persons behind.
The report provides data, trends, challenges, and policy recommendations across five major chapters.
📌 Main Themes of the Report
1. A Rapidly Ageing World
By 2050, the number of people aged 65+ will more than double—from 761 million to 1.6 billion.
The population aged 80+ will almost triple to 459 million.
Ageing is happening everywhere, but fastest in:
Northern Africa & Western Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
Eastern & South-Eastern Asia
The world’s oldest countries are shifting from Europe to Asia.
The report highlights how societies of tomorrow will be younger in fewer places, older almost everywhere.
2. Living Longer, Healthier Lives
Rising longevity is a major human achievement.
Premature deaths have fallen.
People live more years in good health.
But gaps remain:
Women live longer but often face more unhealthy years.
Poorer populations have shorter and less healthy lives.
COVID-19 disrupted progress in life expectancy.
Healthy ageing requires lifelong investment in education, nutrition, healthcare, safety, and environments.
3. What Ageing Means for Economies
The report rejects the idea that older populations are “burdens.”
Key points:
Population ageing affects labour, consumption, taxes, pensions, and long-term care.
With good policies, ageing can bring:
Increased productivity
A stronger labour force via women and older workers
Two “demographic dividends,” if countries invest early
Many older people contribute economically through:
Paid work
Volunteering
Childcare for families
Financial support to younger generations
However, ageing challenges include:
Rising pension and healthcare costs
A shrinking workforce
Inequitable labour markets
Lower savings among future generations
4. Ageing, Poverty, and Inequality
The report stresses that ageing does not create inequality—inequality throughout life creates unequal ageing.
Key findings:
Older persons are more likely to be poor than working-age people, especially in developing countries.
Inequalities accumulate across life:
Poor childhood conditions
Unequal education
Employment insecurity
Gender discrimination
Women face far greater risks due to:
Lower lifetime earnings
Informal/unpaid caregiving roles
Longer lifespans
Higher risk of widowhood
Future generations of older people may be more unequal than today, unless countries act now.
5. A Global Crisis of Care
Demand for long-term care is skyrocketing as populations age, especially above age 80.
Problems:
Most countries are not prepared.
Care systems are underfunded.
Care jobs are low-paid and mostly done by women.
Families—especially daughters—bear the unpaid burden.
COVID-19 exposed deep weaknesses in care facilities.
Solutions recommended:
Build integrated long-term care systems.
Professionalize and protect care workers.
Ensure quality standards and monitoring.
Support “ageing in place” (staying at home).
Reduce reliance on informal unpaid care.
🌍 What “Leaving No One Behind” Means
The report shows that ageing affects:
Health systems
Education
Labour markets
Taxes
Pensions
Social protection
Gender equality
Migration
Long-term care
It argues that ageing must become a central policy priority at national and global levels.
🏛️ Key Policy Recommendations
A. Start Early—Lifelong Interventions
Equal access to quality education
Lifelong learning
Healthy environments
Decent work
Fair labour markets
Support for women, caregivers, and informal workers
B. Strengthen Social Protection & Pensions
Universal pensions or tax-funded basic benefits
Avoid shifting financial risks to individuals
Expand coverage of retirees in informal economies
Use fair and progressive tax systems
C. Build Strong Long-Term Care Systems
Public funding
Trained and protected care workers
Home- and community-based care options
Better regulation, monitoring, and accountability
D. Promote Intergenerational Equity
Address income, education, and health gaps early in life
Encourage solidarity between generations
Prepare youth now to become healthy, secure older adults later
✨ Perfect Summary Statement
The PDF is a global roadmap for managing population ageing in a way that protects rights, reduces inequality, improves health, strengthens economies, and ensures that no person—young or old—is left behind in a rapidly ageing world.... |