Reference texts United Nations
# From the CEDAW Protocol– Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women
Art 11: specifies the right to Social Insurance for women in case of retirement, illness, invalidity, and old age.
Art 14: concerns the right for women to benefit directly from Social Insurance programs.
# the “Platform for Action” adopted by the Beijing World Conference on Women in 1995: 165g, 206 (f, g i-ii, o p):
"Governments should develop methods, in the appropriate forums, for assessing the value, in quantitative terms, of unremunerated work that is outside national accounts, such as caring for dependants and preparing food, for possible reflection in satellite or other official accounts that may be produced separately from but are consistent with core national accounts, with a view to recognising the economical contribution of women and making visible the unequal distribution of remunerated work between women and men"
# Declaration and Plan for Action adopted at Copenhagen in 1995:
Chap. 3 § 47:" governments should "ensure a broader recognition and understanding of work and employment and greater flexibility in working time arrangements for both men and women …
E § 64 a: " acknowledge the important contribution of unremunerated work to societal well-being and bringing respect, dignity and value to societal perceptions of such work and the people who do it
§ 64 b: develop a more comprehensive knowledge of work and employment through, inter alia, efforts to measure and better understand the type, extent and distribution of unremunerated work, particularly work in caring for dependants (…) development of methods for assessing its value in quantitative terms, for possible reflection in accounts that may be produced separately from, but are consistent with, core national accounts.
# Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing IAP
Introduction:
Article 15: We recognize the important role played by families, volunteers, communities, older persons organizations and other community-based organizations in providing support and informal care to older persons in addition to services provided by Governments.
Objectives and commitments:
Measures to be taken:
12 g) … Recognition of the crucial importance of families, intergenerational interdependence, solidarity and reciprocity for social development;
21 b) Acknowledge, encourage and support the contribution of older persons to families, communities and the economy;
53. Objective: Sufficient minimum income for all older persons, paying particular attention to socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
(a) Consider establishing where appropriate, a non-contributory pension system and disability benefit system;
66. ObjectiVe: Reduction of the cumulative effects of factors that increase the risk of disease and consequently potential dependence in older age.
(b) Ensure, as appropriate, conditions that enable families and communities to provide care and protection to persons as they age;
86. ObjectiVE: Development of comprehensive mental health-care services ranging from prevention to early intervention, the provision of treatment services and the management of mental health problems in older persons.
(d) Develop programmes to support self-help and provide respite care for patients, families and other carers;
98. Objective: Promotion of “ageing in place” in the community with due regard to individual preferences and affordable housing options for older persons.
(a) Promote the development of age-integrated communities;
(b) Coordinate multi-sectoral efforts to support the continued integration of older persons with their families and communities;
105. OBJECTIVE: Provision of a continuum of care and services for older persons from various sources and support for caregivers.
(a) Take steps to provide community-based care and support for family care;
(c) Support caregivers through training, information, psychological, economic, social and legislative mechanisms;
# articles of the Implementation Strategy of the International Action Plan on Ageing (AIP) 2002 adopted in Berlin in 2002
14: Families also play an important role in promoting a better understanding of the contributions made by older persons
60: Strategies to cope with such diseases include diagnosis, medication, psychosocial factors, cognitive training programmes, training for caring family members
84: Governments and where appropriate social partners should ensure that women can participate in and benefit from full and equal access to social protection systems. Social protection policies should be reviewed where appropriate in order to take full account of the work and care responsibilities of women and men throughout the life cycle.
COMMITMENT 9: TO SUPPORT FAMILIES THAT PROVIDE CARE FOR OLDER PERSONS AND PROMOTE INTERGENERATIONAL AND INTRA-GENERATIONAL SOLIDARITY AMONG THEIR MEMBERS
86. The family is the basic unit of society and as such should be strengthened. It is entitled to receive comprehensive protection and support. Family is the main agent for sustainable social development and maintaining the values of society.
92: Families, particularly those who provide care for older persons are entitled to receive comprehensive protection and support in performing their societal and developmental functions. In this regard, governments should strive to design, implement and promote family friendly policies and services, including affordable, accessible and quality care services for children and other dependants, parental and other leave schemes and campaigns to sensitise public opinion and other relevant actors on equal sharing of employment and family responsibilities between women and men