The world has seen a decline in fertility over the past decades, contributing to the ageing of populations in all regions. While the trend is universal, degrees of population ageing vary widely: The poorest countries typically see a rapid rate of population ageing but still have a relatively small share of older persons, often in the context of continued population growth, whereas the opposite tends to be the case in the richer countries.
Main topics of discussion:
Demographic resilience is the concept of understanding, adapting to and capitalizing on demographic changes while upholding individual rights and choices. It represents a fundamental shift away from negative, reactive, and fragmented policy responses to population ageing towards positive, anticipatory, and integrated strategies that promote sustainable development and individual rights and choices.
The common anxiety surrounding population ageing is often rooted in traditional definitions of "old age" and "dependency" that use arbitrary chronological cut-offs, typically age 65. The Symposium emphasizes that this approach paints a gloomier picture than reality, as economic data demonstrates that many individuals considered dependents are, in fact, making important monetary and non-monetary contributions to society. A critical review is needed to inform policies based on actual contributions of older persons and economic or health-related indicators.
Many countries at an early stage of the demographic transition focus on the full and productive engagement of younger persons as a key strategy to care for older persons. Other countries prioritize the productive engagement of older persons themselves, and creating more sustainable pension and welfare systems. One will never work without the other: to build lasting and sustainable success, efforts to develop adequate, resilient and sustainable social systems must focus on both.
Investing in comprehensive, high-quality, and disaggregated population data is essential for evidence-based decision-making and building resilient societies. Countries must strengthen data systemsto anticipate and proactively integrate population dynamics into policies, planning, and adaptation to demographic changes.
Strategies vary, countries might seek the full and productive employment of younger persons while building formal social transfer systems. They can also promote longer, more active, and productive lives for older persons themselves. Sustainable success requires focusing on both the active engagement of older persons and the provision of adequate support and benefits.
Population ageing is not gender-neutral, as ageing trajectories reflect inequalities accumulated throughout the life course. Women generally live longer but face higher rates of poverty, widowhood, and unpaid caregiving responsibilities, including a critical burden of unpaid care contributions. Meanwhile, men face shorter healthy life expectancy, higher risks of social isolation, and elevated suicide rates in advanced age. The Symposium aims to systematically examine these gender norms to inform rights-based and gender-transformative strategies.
