International Plan of Action on Ageing

The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) was adopted following a meeting of Governments in 2002 to:

• respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st Century and
• promote the development of a society for all ages.

Governments signed up to ten commitments in the Regional Implementation Strategy (RIS) of the Madrid Plan to bring about the adjustments needed to address the challenges and opportunities of an ageing society.

• Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (United Nations website)
• Regional Implementation Strategy (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe website)

The ten commitments

• To mainstream ageing in all policy fields with the aim of bringing societies and economies into harmony with the demographic change to achieve a society for all ages.
• To ensure full integration and participation of older persons in society.
• To promote equitable and sustainable economic growth in response to population ageing.
• To adjust social protection systems in response to demographic change and their social and economic consequences.
• To enable labour markets to respond to economic and social consequences of population ageing.
• To promote life-long learning and adapt the educational system in order to meet the changing economic, social and demographic conditions.
• To ensure quality of life at all ages to maintain independent living including health and wellbeing.
• To mainstream a gender approach in an ageing society.
• To support families that provide care for older persons and promote intergenerational and intra – generational solidarity among their members.
• To promote the implementation and follow-up of the regional implementation strategy through regional co-operation.

It was followed up by a Ministerial Conference in Leon, Spain, in November 2007 where:

• the implementation of the Madrid Plan was reviewed by considering the national reviews submitted earlier in 2007, sharing experience and good practice
• priorities were identified for future action
• a Ministerial Declaration was agreed.

Officials from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region set up the Working Group on Ageing, to reinforce and continue the implementation of the Regional Strategy for the MIPAA/RIS and the Leon Ministerial Declaration and to better integrate country-level expertise on ageing.

The Working Group had its first meeting at the UN in Geneva on 1-2 December 2008 where a programme of work for 2009-10 was agreed upon.

More information

• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe website promotes pan-European economic integration and sets out norms, standards and conventions to facilitate international cooperation within and outside the region.
• Monitoring the Regional Implementation Strategy website for more information.