International Day For Older Persons Observed

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2024) Like other parts of the world "International Day for Older Persons" was observed here on Tuesday.

This year the theme of the day is Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide.

This day promotes awareness about the importance of ensuring that people can grow old with dignity and purpose. It encourages society to value and support older persons through inclusive policies.

Based on the latest projections by the United Nations, the number of older people (defined as those aged 65 years or older) will be tripled from around 260 million in 1980 to 761 million in 2021.

Between 2021 and 2050, the global share of the older population is projected to increase from approximately 10% to 17%.

It is further projected that by 2050, the number of individuals aged 65 years or above across the world will be twice the number of children under age 5 and almost equivalent to the number of children under 12 years.

Due to the female advantage in life expectancy, women outnumber men at older ages in almost all populations and will expect preponderance of females in the future.