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The imminent super-aged society, a time to work together for the dignified lives of older persons
Date : 2024.10.22 09:22:47 Hits : 997

The imminent super-aged society, a time to work together for the dignified lives of older persons


Statement by the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on the Older Persons’ Day

 

 

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho, hereinafter ‘NHRCK’) issues the following statement on the occasion of “Older Persons' Day” (October 2), calling for the attention of all members of society to help older persons lead a dignified life.

 

Next year (2025), we will enter an super-aged society

 

Due to the rapid aging of the population, Korea has already entered an aging society in 2000, when the share of elderly people aged 65 and over was 7% of the total population, and reached 14% in 2017, and is expected to exceed 20% next year (2025), reaching an super-aged society.

 

The older persons are the most vulnerable group to rapid social changes such as the climate crisis facing humanity, the spread of AI technology, population aging and declining birthrate, and increasing social and economic polarization, and as society changes rapidly, problems such as marginalization, discrimination, social exclusion, and old-age poverty emerge as well.

 

Old-age poverty rate and suicide rate ranked first among OECD countries

 

○ The Old-age poverty rate (40.4%) and suicide rate (42.2) in Korea are the highest among OECD member countries, more than double the OECD average (14.2% poverty rate and 16.5 suicide rate). In addition, abuse of the elderly has continued to increase since 2005, more than tripling from 2,038 cases of elder abuse in 2005 to 7,025 cases in 2023.

 

As the number of older persons will increase in the future, the number of those in need of care will also be on the rise, creating a burden on society, and the future of Korea's super-aged society is not all rosy.

 

Therefore, protecting the human rights of the older persons is an urgent and major issue in our society, and it is time for all members of this society to pay special attention and make efforts to protect and promote the human rights of those persons.


Paradigm shift on human rights of older persons

 

The Constitution of the Republic of Korea proclaims the dignity and value of all citizens as human beings, guarantees the right to pursue happiness, and obligates the State to implement policies to improve the welfare of older persons. Article 2, paragraph 1 of the Welfare of Senior Citizens Act states that older persons shall be respected as those who have contributed to the upbringing of descendants and the development of the State and society, and their sound and stable life shall be ensured.

 

○ Therefore, the government and society should prepare for an super-aged society and actively raise social awareness to protect the human rights of older persons. This is not only to respect and protect their human rights, but also to prepare for the future of all of us.

 

All people are equal and dignified from birth. This value should never be undermined or disparaged because of their age, and in this regard, it is necessary to shift from the view of older persons as 'objects of benefits and welfare' to the human rights perspective of 'ensuring human dignity and basic human rights.'

 

Efforts by the National Human Rights Commission

 

Since being elected as the chair of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (hereinafter ‘GANHRI’) Working Group on Aging in 2016, the NHRCK has been working to protect and promote the human rights of older persons in cooperation with the international community, including the release of the GANHRI Guidelines on the Rights of Older Persons and the Convention on the Rights of Older Persons (Draft).

 

○ In addition, the NHRCK has set the goal of 'strengthening the rights of the elderly in the super-aged society' in the 'Human Rights Promotion Action Strategy (2021~2025)' and urged the government to take active measures to protect older person including the poor, abused, and demented individuals, through recommendations to improve the system, and has regularly held the 'Older Persons Human Rights Forum' to discuss the importance of protecting the human rights of older persons, and has continued to promote related education and publicity projects.

 

Pledges and Requests for Older Persons’ Day

 

The NHRCK will continue to fulfill its leading role for the better lives of older persons.

 

On the occasion of Older Persons' Day, we once again call for the active attention and support of the government and society to ensure that older persons are recognized as full rights holders, continue to participate in various sectors of society, and live their daily lives with dignity and happiness.

 

2024. 10. 2.

 

Ahn Chang-ho, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea


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