Intergenerational Cooperation and the Second Assembly on Ageing
Danielle Bridel, Chairperson, NGO Committee on Ageing
Before discussing the documents from the governmental and nongovernmental deliberations which took place in Madrid last April, I would like to speak briefly about my personal experience on this matter. I was brought up in a family of three children where intergenerational relations were very strong. We lived in the same house as my maternal grandmother, an uncle, an aunt and a great-aunt where we had daily contact with everyone. Moreover, once or twice a week we went to visit my paternal grandparents. These relations were based on the great respect that my parent had for their relatives. None of us thought to question a system of common values, based on a sense of duty, responsibilities, honesty and, above all, being interested in others. This kinship has been maintained until now with the younger generation returning to the older the care is has received from the latter. As the new generation has come into being, the same attachment has taken place.
Though society's development has changed some values, the bonds have remained in a family which has been privileged to live in the same region and intergenerational relations remain strong.
In the organizational domain, I have also observed that intergenerational contacts are facilitated by a common ideal, for example, in my organization, the purpose of local and international community service. Of course, as in the family, one must be resilient enough to admit the others' views.
But I do not have experience of intergenerational contact with young people who are strangers and it is probably here that the problem exists.
Let us turn now to the NGO Forum which took place at the beginning of April in Madrid. The intergenerational question was discussed there. However, few young people were present and the number of workshops on this subject were very few. Nonetheless, the final document entitled "FINAL DECLARATION AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE NGO FORUM ON AGEING" mentions intergenerational relations. Thus, in the section on participation, it states "Insofar as ageing is a process that concerns all generations, the participation of the elderly must include all of the topics of interest to the community, thus applying an inter-generational perspective." It also says that the elderly have expertise which when shared with the young, assures the continuity of cultural values. In the recommendation, it is emphasized that governments must recognize the intergenerational work done by the elderly, that education must include the intergenerational perspective, that organizations for the elderly must take into account the different generations when formulating their proposals. Governments also must facilitate the establishment of intergenerational networks. It is further proposed that intergenerational family relations be seen as a guarantee of social well-being. Above all, it is proposed to establish an Intergenerational Mutual Support Pact without unfortunately giving it a definition.
Regarding the Second World Assembly on Ageing, which met at the same time in Madrid, it produced two important documents: A Political Declaration and an International Plan on Action, both of which mention intergenerational cooperation. Article 14 of the Declaration states: "We recognize the need to strengthen solidarity among generations and intergenerational partnerships, keeping in mind the particular needs of both older and younger ones, and encourage mutually responsive relationships between generations. In the Plan of Action, governments observe that intergenerational solidarity is fundamental of all ages and is one of the major conditions for social cohesion as well as the very foundation of public social security systems and of informal care systems. They add that, on the family and community level, intergenerational relationships are valuable for all. Relations between generations work in both directions, with older persons often providing significant contributions both financially and, crucially, in the education and care of grandchildren.
Actions to be taken are: in particular:
§ promote understanding of ageing through public education;
§ review existing policies to foster solidarity among generations;
§ develop initiatives that promote productive exchanges among generations;
§ develop initiatives to improve intergenerational relations in local communities;
§ promote and strengthen solidarity among generations and mutual support as a key element for social development.
In addition some of the proposals to guarantee income security and social security indirectly touch intergenerational relations.
The UN regional commissions are required to elaborate regional implementation plans. The Economic Commission for Europe (and North America) plans a ministerial meeting next September to adopt a plan essentially already in existence. This text also mentions intergenerational solidarity concerning the family and the community; it is based on government measures to promote social, economic and family policies which stimulate and favour intergenerational solidarity.
As can be seen, all these texts are rather general and do not offer concrete solutions to a question that is not new but which might become serious should the various attitudes remain as they are. We know that there are already many attempts to facilitate the intergenerational relationships. They often concern relations between the elderly and children, relations easy to establish specially if they concern persons who have been parents. When adolescents or young adults are involved, the problem is more complicated because preconceived ideas of the young and elderly come to the fore. However, examples show that if there is good will on both sides, common interest or mutual understanding will lead to real partnership. I think here for example, of mentoring between women who know public/political life and young women who want to profit from their experience, as the Youth Council of Switzerland has organized for several years.
I must mention here a problem that I know from my work experience and which will become acute in the near future: I mean the indispensable solidarity between the employed and the ageing in public pension systems (often called the first pillar) base on pay-as-you-go. A s soon as this relationship becomes - or seems to become - significant, this solidarity is contested. However, everyone should understand that, as the Economic Commission for Europe has stated in its draft, "the efficacy of a social security system must be supported by full employment, wide health services, an education system which prepares the young for efficient work and policies which help employers to adjust to economic change." This means that sooner or later, both the young and the old will have to sacrifice early retirement for the ageing and late entry into work for the young. But this effort must be possible.
A society for all ages needs close intergenerational cooperation - may this soon become reality.
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