International Day of Older Persons

I- HISTORY

By resolution 45/016 of 14 December 1990, the UN General Assembly decided to celebrate the International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) on 1 October of each year. The first edition was thus celebrated in 1991. The resolution addresses the growing concern of the international community towards aging whose first global manifestations translated themselves close to one decade earlier at the first World Summit on Aging, held from 26 July to 6 August 1982 in Vienna, Austria.
The desire of the UN to henceforth see states take into account the concerns of aging in their policies and programs in order to provide adequate answers to the specific problems and needs of older persons later materialized into a series of measures and meetings including:

The adoption by the UN General Assembly of resolution 46/91 of 16 December 1991 setting out five guiding principles for the promotion of the older persons;
he adoption by the UN General Assembly of resolution 47/5 of 16 October 1992 declaring 1999 the "International Year of Older Persons" under the umbrella theme "A society for all ages";
The adoption by the UN General Assembly of Resolution 55/2 in 2000 inviting Member States to a new partnership to reduce extreme poverty through the development of a schedule of actions to be completed by 2015, under the name "Millennium Development Goals "(MDGs);
The holding from 8 to 12 April 2002 of the second World Summit on Aging in Madrid (Spain) with the resulting Declaration Politics and International Plan of Action on Aging;
The adoption by the African Union's strategic policy framework and the Hemispheric Plan of Action on Aging at the Summit of Heads of State and Government of Africa in June 2002 in Durban (South Africa).

II- OBJECTIVES

a- General Purpose

National community awareness on the issue of aging and empowerment of older persons in order to optimize opportunities for well-being throughout its existence, and to ensure its full contribution to the national development effort.

b- Specific Objectives

-    Promote active and healthy aging;
-    Improve older persons' access to basic social services and socio-economic infrastructure;
-   Enhance and promote the knowledge, experience, expertise and know-how of older persons as a key element of sustainable social development;
-    Mobilize older persons themselves, for their full participation in the socio-economic development of our country;
-    Sensitize all stakeholders on the importance of involving the concerns of older persons in all programmes and projects;
-    Disseminate existing strategic guidance documents on aging at the international, national and pan-African levels;
-    Educate youth and the community on the change in attitude towards older persons and their rights;
- Encourage initiatives to promote mutual and fruitful exchanges between generations, solidarity, complementarity and intergenerational harmony;
-    Provide multifaceted, punctual and sustainable support to older persons and their management structures within the framework of their empowerment and their conversion;
-    Sensitize the national community on the basics of building an inclusive society for all ages.

III- STRATEGIES

-    Communication for Behavioural Change (CCC);
-    Advocacy and lobbying for the realization of the rights of older persons;
-    Capacity building;
-    The mobilization of public and private partnership, bi- and multi-lateral.

IV- ACTIVITIES

-    Preparatory meetings;
-    Radio and television broadcasts on the theme and sub-themes of the day;
-    Round tables
-    Intergenerational walk;
-    Visit management structures of older persons;
-    Delivery of gifts to older persons and their management structures;
-    Bonuses to winners of competitions;
-    Production of documentary on the third age;
-    Organization of intergenerational meetings within the University of the third age
-    Free screening of age-related diseases;
-    Celebration ceremony IDOP;

V-PARTNERS

- Government and parastatal:
MINTAD, MINADER MINAC, MINCOMMERCE, MINCOM, MOH, MINDEF, MINDCAF, MINEE, MINEPAT MINEDUB, MINEPIA, MINEFOP, MINESEC, MINESUP, MINEPDED, MINFI, MINHDU, MINJEC, MINJUSTICE, MINPMEESA, MINPOSTEL MINPROFF, MINRESI, MINREX, MINSANTE , MINSEP, MINTOURL, MINT, MINTSS, MINTP, DGNS CNPS, SNH ONACAM, SNI CAMTEL SOPECAM, NCHRF, FNE, FEICOM.
- International organizations:
UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, UNFPA, CNUDHD, Chantal Biya Foundation, World Bank, WHO, African Synergy for the Fight against AIDS and suffering, CERAC.
-    Traders
-    Civil Society / Religious Confessions
-    Coaching organizations of older persons.

VI- RECENT TOPICS

2012: "Longevity: Shaping the future";
2011: "Launch of Madrid +10: Emerging opportunities and challenges of global aging";
2010: "The elderly and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals."