This policy series is written by HelpAge International (Ms. Bridget Sleap, Senior Rights Policy Adviser HelpAge International)

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2 This policy series is written by HelpAge International (Ms. Bridget Sleap, Senior Rights Policy Adviser HelpAge International) Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development 2017 This Toolkit is supported by the Asia and the Pacific Regional Office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Japan Trust Fund. Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Payathai Plaza, Suite 9-C Payathai Road, Bangkok, Thailand Tel : (662) /4 Fax : (662) afppd@afppd.org

3 POLICY SERIES No. 1: A NEW UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS

4 Introduction There is a growing recognition that older people are being subjected to ageism and discrimination, denied their rights and deprived of their dignity. Parliamentarians have a central role to play in changing this and in strengthening the protection and promotion of older people s rights. This paper examines older people s experience of ageism and the current policy paradigm. It looks at gaps in the international human rights system and options to rectify this, including a new UN convention on the rights of older people. It concludes with recommendations for action by parliamentarians. Ageism Ageist stereotypes abound in all societies and play a key role in dictating how older people are perceived and treated. - UNDESA 1 When asked about being treated differently because of their older age 2, older people talk about being denied access to a wide range of goods and services because of their older age including employment, housing, financial services, transport and health care. Medical workers pay more attention to women of reproductive age. - Older woman, Kyrgyzstan They describe being subjected to intersectional discrimination based on their age and other characteristics such as their sex, disability or marital status. My in-laws and society started to discriminate against me after the death of my husband. They took my husband s land and property and compelled me to leave my village. - Older woman, Nepal Others say they feel stigmatized, humiliated and patronized. Many describe feeling invisible and devalued, and this has a negative impact on them. I easily withdraw from society and I feel shabby. - Older man, Republic of Korea Older people say they are treated in this way because older people are considered to be incompetent, expendable and obsolete a burden on society and families. Those without income and dependent are often illtreated and side-lined by family and society. - From a group discussion of older people, Malaysia The ageism that older people experience is complex. We can have prejudicial attitudes towards our own older age as well as towards other older people. It is so entrenched that we may accept ageist attitudes and stereotypes as normal, including those perceived to be positive. We are treated differently certainly, that is with more respect and kindness than when we were young and energetic It makes me feel good to be treated like an old precious relic, and to be in harmony with the world. - Older woman, Pakistan But for many older people the experience they describe is one of living in a deeply ageist world where stigmatizing and dehumanizing prejudices and stereotypes are barely recognized for what they are, are ignored, tolerated or even condoned, and have very harmful consequences in people s lives. Ageism: a definition Stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age; ageism can take many forms, including prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory practices, or institutional policies and practices that perpetuate stereotypical beliefs. WHO, World Report on Ageing and Health, 2015, page Current status of the Social Situation, Well-being, Participation in Development and Rights of Older Persons Worldwide, UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, 2012, page Quotations from older people are taken from consultations conducted by GAROP in 2014, reported in In Our Own Words, 2015 and HelpAge International in 2017, reported in Entitled to the same rights, 2017

5 POLICY SERIES NO. 1: A NEW UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS Increased recognition of ageism, age discrimination and denial of human rights in older age There is a growing recognition that older people face discrimination and unique challenges to their rights in many areas of their lives. This is illustrated in successive UN reports and resolutions. In 2009 a UN expert group concluded that the rights of older people could be violated at individual and institutional levels and that ageism is a root cause of discrimination and violations of rights in older age, including in relation to the rights to health, employment, violence and abuse, access to justice, and income security. 1 In 2010 a working paper of the Advisory Committee to the Human Rights Council identified unequal treatment and denial of rights of older people in the areas of age discrimination, abuse and violence, susceptibility to poverty, denial of employment and poor work conditions, limited coverage of social pensions, lack of access to information, and assistance during natural and other disasters. 2 In 2011, the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs reported on challenges older people face in relation to violence, abuse and neglect, their right to housing, denial of their right to social security, and age discrimination in relation work, health care, and credit and other financial services. 3 Successive reports of the UN Secretary General on the follow up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing and implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing have re-affirmed the particular challenges to their rights which older people face. 4 The UN Human Rights Council has also recognized the multiple forms of discrimination and the particular human rights challenges older people face. 5 Special Procedures to the Human Rights Council on human rights and extreme poverty 6 and on the right to health 7 have highlighted areas of concern regarding older people s right to social security and health. In 2016, the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons confirmed the multiple and particular human rights challenges older people face in relation to support and assistance, social protection, work, equality and non-discrimination, freedom from violence and abuse, participation, adequate standard of living, access to justice, education, training and lifelong learning and accessibility. 8 Multiple discrimination Discrimination can be complex. It can be based on more than just one characteristic or take place on more than one occasion. Intersectional discrimination is discrimination based on a combination of two or more characteristics, for example age, sex and disability. The combination creates a unique form of discrimination. Cumulative discrimination is where the impact of discrimination that happens more than once over a period of time, or on a number of single occasions but based on different characteristics, cumulates. It is also sometimes called additive discrimination. Entitled to the same eights: What older women say about their rights to non-discrimination and equality, and to freedom from violence, abuse and neglect, HelpAge International, Report of the Expert Group Meeting Rights of Older Persons, 5-7 May 2009, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, A/HRC/AC/4/CRP.1, Current status of the Social Situation, Well-being, Participation in Development and Rights of Older Persons Worldwide, UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, A/64/127, 2009; A/65/157, 2010; A/66/173, 2011; A/67/188, 2012; A/68/167, 2013; A/69/180, A/HRC/RES/33/5, A/HRC/14/31, A/HRC/18/37, A/HRC/33/44,

6 Increased recognition of ageism, age discrimination and denial of human rights in older age The UN General Assembly has adopted a number of resolutions calling on Member States to take measures to ensure older people enjoy their rights. 1 Despite this, national laws, policies and practice continue to limit older people s autonomy, increase their dependency on others, deny them their rights and deprive them of their dignity. We see this in: Social security policies that create, perpetuate or exacerbate older people s financial dependence on others. These include pension policies that are not universal, are not guaranteed in law and where the value of the pension is too low for an adequate standard of living. Housing and welfare laws and policies that force older people into living or financial arrangements that increase their dependency on others. These include filial maintenance laws which oblige adult relatives to financially support older family members. Mandatory retirement ages which exclude older people from the workforce. Upper age limits that deny older people access to health services, for example cancer screening or surgical operations. Upper age limits that deny older people access to financial goods and services, for example microcredit, bank loans or insurance. Failure to respond to different forms of violence and abuse (physical, sexual, financial, psychological, and neglect) so older people remain in abusive relationships and have no access to justice. Failure to regulate and monitor standards of support and assistance so older people are dependent on poor quality services which limit their autonomy and participation in society and increase their dependency. Realising the rights of older persons requires a fundamental paradigm shift away from laws, policies and practices that increase dependency to ones which promote autonomy, dignity, equality, nondiscrimination and independence in older age. 5 1 A/RES/64/132, 2009; A/RES/66/127, 2011; A/RES/69/146, 2014; A/RES/69/146, 2015

7 POLICY SERIES NO. 1: A NEW UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS Gaps in the protection of the human rights of older people There are very few specific provisions on the rights of older people in international human rights law. Those that exist are limited in scope and are not consistent across all the treaties. International Human Rights Treaties Article Provision Universal Declaration of Human Rights 25 The right of everyone to security in old age (1948) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against 11.1.e The equal right of women to social security, including in old age Women (1979) International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990) 1.1 and 7 Prohibits discrimination based on age Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) 13.1 Recognises the need for age-appropriate accommodations to ensure disabled people s access to justice 16.2 Age-sensitive measures to prevent abuse 16.4 Age-sensitive recovery and rehabilitation 23.1.b Age-appropriate information on reproductive health 25b Provide services to minimise and prevent further disabilities among older people 28.2.b Ensure older people with disabilities access to social protection and poverty reduction Recognising the need to strengthen protection of the rights of older people, the UN General Assembly established an open-ended working group in 2010 [hereafter the Working Group] to identify gaps within the international human rights system in relation to the rights of older people and how to address them, including through the feasibility of new human rights instruments. 1 The Working Group has met eight times. At its first and second sessions in 2011, it identified four types of gaps: information, monitoring, implementation, and normative. 2 An information gap exists when the lack of disaggregated data and statistics and other types of information prevents an accurate picture of the current situation being drawn and prevents monitoring bodies from making targeted and specific recommendations. Information and data is absent in many areas of older people s lives. For example: The right to freedom from violence abuse and neglect: Of the 133 countries included in the 2014 Global Status Report on Violence Prevention survey, only 23% reported any survey data on elder abuse. Of the 25 AFPPD member countries in the survey, only two reported having a national populationbased survey on elder abuse. 3 One reported having a sub-national level survey. 4 Of the rest, eighteen said they had no survey and four did not know. 5 The right to health: Dementia mainly affects older 1 A/RES/65/182, See reports of the first and second Working Group sessions A/AC.278/2011/4 and A/AC.278/2011/5 respectively. 3 Australia and Japan 4 Thailand 5 Global Status Report on Violence Prevention, WHO, UNODC, UNDP2014, pages

8 In 2015 there were an estimated 46.8 million people worldwide living with dementia, 22.9 million of whom were in Asia. Research shows that most people living with dementia have not received a formal diagnosis. In high-income countries, only 20-50% of dementia cases are recognised and documented in primary care. This information, and subsequent treatment gap, is thought to be much greater in low- and midincome countries, with one study in India suggesting ninety per cent of people living with dementia remain undiagnosed. 1 A monitoring gap exists when there is no independent monitoring mechanism mandated to ensure States comply with their obligations under international human rights law, or where existing monitoring bodies fail to adequately monitor State Party compliance. Existing monitoring bodies are failing to adequately monitor states compliance with their obligations towards older people under existing international rights treaties. For example: Globally, only 177 (0.3%) of the 57, 686 recommendations made within the Human Rights Council s Universal Periodic Review process to October 2017 address the rights of older people. Only 26 out of the 9,300 recommendations made to AFPPD member countries within the Universal Periodic Review system up to October 2017 were on the rights of older people. 2 An implementation gap exists when the rights and obligations within international human rights law are not fully translated into national law and/or put into practice. Older people are being denied their rights in law and practice. For example: The right to non-discrimination: In a review of 20 countries in Asia Pacific 3, ten have no national legislation that explicitly prohibits age discrimination. 4 In the ten countries that do have legislation, the areas of life where age discrimination is prohibited varies, with three countries only prohibiting it in the area of employment. 5 Only one country allows for claims of multiple discrimination. 6 The right to social security: Globally, 48 per cent of people over pensionable age do not receive a pension. Only 47 per cent in Asia Pacific (32.4 per cent without China) receive one. 7 The right to live independently and in the community: Globally, 13.6 million more formal workers are needed to provide the support and assistance older people need. The most severe shortage is in Asia Pacific where 8.2 million more workers are needed. 8 A normative gap exists when persistent acts, circumstances and institutional factors depriving a person of their dignity are not provided for, or are inadequately provided for, in existing international human rights law. There are areas of life where older people are currently being deprived of their dignity which the existing international human rights framework fails to adequately provide for. For example: Age is only explicitly prohibited as a ground for discrimination in one international human rights treaty, that on migrant workers 9, and the complex nature of multiple discrimination, including intersectional and cumulative discrimination, in older age is not provided for at all. 7 1 Alzheimer s Disease International, Dementia statistics, and sites/default/files/pdfs/global-impact-dementia-infographic.pdf Visited 3rd November Search by HelpAge International of UPR database for key words: older people, older persons, elderly, age discrimination, 20th October 2017 and 2nd November 2017, Visited 20/10/17 and 2/11/17 3 National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Issue Analysis and Specific Recommendations on the Human Rights of Older Persons in ASEM Countries, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar 5 Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore 6 New Zealand (China, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam cited as unknown) 7 ILO, World Social Protection Report , p.83 8 Scheil-Adlung, Extension of Social Security: Long-term care protection for older persons: A review of coverage deficits in 46 countries, ESS-Working Paper No. 50, ILO, International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, 1990, Article 7

9 POLICY SERIES NO. 1: A NEW UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS There is no specific provision for support and assistance in older age; the provisions on living independently and in the community in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities only apply to older people with disabilities and not all older people, nor to the specific context of ageism and older age. There is no explicit protection from all forms of violence, abuse and neglect in older age. Other normative gaps exist in the areas of palliative care, ageing in place, a dignified death and end of life care, and justice. Options to fill the gaps A number of mechanisms have been suggested on how to address these gaps in the international human rights system. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. Mechanism Advantages Disadvantages Legally binding on states that ratify it An optional protocol on the rights of older people A UN declaration on the rights of older people Treaty Body general comments and recommendations UN convention on the rights of older people An international gesture of solidarity Raise awareness and increase visibility of older people s rights Result in more requests for data on older people s rights from reporting states Sensitise Treaty Body members Generate short explanatory texts Increase visibility of older people Consolidate all the rights of older people into one text Clarify state obligations Provide a framework and guidance for state action Provide a powerful advocacy and education tool Provide a legal tool to resolve legal disputes. Establish reporting, monitoring and accountability mechanisms Not cover the full range of interdependent and indivisible rights as it could only apply to any one human rights treaty Not legally binding, therefore no incentive for implementation No further articulation of state obligations Not provide states with specific guidance on steps and measures to take No monitoring or accountability mechanism Not considered legally binding by all states Not cover the full range of interdependent and indivisible rights Not guarantee older people s rights would be better mainstreamed across other human rights mechanisms Not guarantee systematic monitoring or reporting Impact on the lives of older people without ratification and the political will of each government to implement its provisions 8

10 A new UN convention on the rights of older people Of the options suggested, only a new UN convention can address all four gaps identified by the Working Group. Information: It would require states to collect, disaggregate, analyse and disseminate information on older people s rights. Monitoring: It would establish a dedicated monitoring system. Implementation: Domestication would necessitate the implementation of laws and policies that are non-discriminatory, promote equality and dignity, and enhance older people s autonomy. Normative: It would articulate human rights norms and standards in areas of older people s lives that are currently not adequately provided for. A UN convention would also be transformative. Its norms and standards would provide alternatives to current prejudicial and discriminatory ageist attitudes and practices. These norms and standards would help change our attitudes towards older people and older age, including our own, to see it as a time of continued human flourishing and fulfilment rather than a time of decline and dependency. What would be in a new convention Purpose and scope The purpose of the convention should be to protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights in older age. To do this, the convention s scope must cover everyone who is subjected to ageism and discrimination, and denied their rights in their older age. Older age is a social construction and what defines someone as an older person may vary from one context to another. There is no single chronological age at which older age or ageism start. Ageism and age discrimination are not always based on a known chronological age. They can also be based on perceived older age or characteristics associated with older age. For this reason an arbitrary chronological age definition of an older person, for example over the age of 60 or 65 years old, should not be used to define the scope of the convention because it will exclude people below this age who may also be subjected to ageism or denied their rights in their older age. Principles: Human rights principles should cut across every provision in the convention. These include nondiscrimination, respect, dignity, autonomy, equality, self-fulfilment and personal development, full and effective participation and inclusion in society, respect for difference and diversity, accessibility and reasonable accommodation. General obligations: A number of general obligations should apply to states including a general obligation to conduct mandatory equality assessments on the impact on older people of all legislation, policy and budget decisions, and in particular on age-related policies. Rights: The convention should address discrimination on the basis of older age in all its forms, alone or in combination with other factors, as well as cover a comprehensive range of political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights, including those emerging areas of rights that have not yet been fully articulated in existing international human rights standards. Implementation, monitoring and accountability: Implementation, monitoring and accountability must be as robust as those for other human rights treaties. Implementation mechanisms should include national co-ordinating mechanisms, government focal points and measures to support capacity building of States Parties and others. There should be independent national monitoring bodies which include older people and civil society, as well as enforceable individual complaint mechanisms. At the international level there should be an independent treaty body and the treaty should be open to signature and ratification and/or accession by regional integration bodies. 9

11 POLICY SERIES NO. 1: A NEW UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS Recommendations for parliamentarians Parliamentarians have a unique role to play in strengthening the rights of their older constituents and contributing to the debate around a new convention on the rights of older people and its contents. Parliamentarians can, inter alia: 1. Become better informed about the situation of older people in your constituency Meet with older people s groups to discuss their rights Consider rotating drop-in meetings for constituents to ensure all members of the community have an opportunity to talk with you. In upcoming meetings, ask them and other constituents, especially those who may know or support older people, what they think would positively impact on their lives Use this information to inform your position when discussing ageing and the rights of older people within parliamentary issues 2. Raise questions in parliament about your country s participation in the Working Group and a new UN convention on the rights of older people Ask whether the government has actively participated in the session of the Working Group to date. Ask whether the government will submit evidence to the next Working Group consultation Ask whether the government will actively participate in the next Working Group session Ask how the national position at the Working Group has been adopted and whether a formal consultation process will be considered which includes input from older people themselves across all constituencies Ask whether parliamentary committees are considering the rights of older people Discuss a new convention with parliamentarians, in visits to local electorates, in party meetings, in TV/ radio interviews and written articles/blogs 3. Write private correspondence directly to foreign affairs ministers and ministries involved in ageing issues regarding the government s engagement with the UN s Open Ended Working Group Process 4. Lead parliamentary debates on older people and humans rights 5. Support and contribute to human rights debates were older people could be relevant, for example in other parliamentary committees 6. Participate in, or initiate, a cross-parliamentary group on ageing and human rights in your parliament 7. Build cross party alliances in support of older people s human rights 8. Find opportunities to bring older people directly into parliaments and other places of governance to raise their concerns personally and have their voice heard by other parliamentarians 9. Invite national human rights organisations and civil society organisations to provide evidence on human rights situations regarding older people and the adequacy of the protection of those nights. This may be through evidence sessions, an inquiry or report 10

12 Bibliography Articles and papers on a new UN convention Age International, A UN convention on the rights of older people: time for the UK to lead, Age International, 2015 Age Platform-Europe, Our vision on human rights in 7 principles: Older people take a stand on their human rights! AGE Platform Europe, 2016 Doron & Apter, The Debate Around the need for an International Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, Forum, The Gerontologist, 2010 HelpAge International, Entitled to the same eights: What older women say about their rights to nondiscrimination and equality, and to freedom from violence, abuse and neglect, HelpAge International, 2017 HelpAge International, A new convention on the rights of older people: a concrete proposal, HelpAge International, 2015 HelpAge International, International human rights law and older people: Gaps, fragments and loopholes, HelpAge International, 2012 HelpAge International, What are the options? Potential human rights instruments on the rights of older people, HelpAge International, 2012 Huenchan and Rodriguez-Pinero, Ageing and the protection of human rights: current situation and outlook, ECLAC, UNFPA, SIDA, 2011 Judge, The Rights of Older People: International Law, Human Rights Mechanisms and the case for new Normative Standards, Judge, 2009 Sleap, In Our Own Words, What older people say about discrimination and human rights in older age: a consultation by the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People, Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People, 2015 Tang & Lee, Global Justice for Older People: The Case for an International Convention on the Rights of Older People, British Journal of Social Work (2006) 36, UN reports on the rights of older persons Human Rights Advisory Committee, The necessity of a human rights approach and effective United Nations mechanism for the human rights of the older person, Working paper prepared by Ms Chinsung Chung, member of the Human Rights Advisory Committee, A/HRC/AC/4/CRP.1, 2010 OHCHR, Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, E/2012/51, 2012 OHCHR, Normative standards in international human rights law in relation to older persons, Analytical Outcome Paper, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, August 2012 OHCHR, Summary report of the consultation on the promotion and protection of the human rights of older persons, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, A/HRC/24/25, 2013 UNDESA, Neglect, Abuse and Violence Against Older Women, UNDESA, 2013 UNDESA, Report of the Expert group Meeting Rights of Older Persons, 5-7 May 2009, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2009 UNDESA, Current status of the Social Situation, Well-being, Participation in Development and Rights of Older Persons Worldwide, UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, 2012 UN General Assembly resolutions on the rights of older people A/RES/64/132, 2009 A/RES/65/182, 2010 A/RES/66/127, 2011 A/RES/67/139, 2012 A/RES/68/134, 2013 A/RES/69/146, 2014 A/RES/70/164, 2015 A/RES/71/164, 2016 UN Human Rights Council Resolutions on the rights of older people A/HRC/RES/24/20, 2013 A/HRC/RES/33/5,

13 POLICY SERIES NO. 1: A NEW UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS UN Special Procedures reports on the rights of older people Report of the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, A/HRC/14/31, 2010 Thematic study on the realization of the right to health of older persons by the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover, A/HRC/18/37, 2011 Report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, A/HRC/33/44, 2016 Charter of Rights for People with Dementia and their Carers in Scotland South African Older Persons Charter Charter of Residents Rights and Responsibilities (Australia) Regional human rights law on the rights of older people Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons, 2015 Protocol to the Africa Charter on Human and People Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa, 2016 Regional human rights advisory documents on the rights of older people Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2014) 2, The Promotion of Human Rights of Older Persons Website resources UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, social.un.org/ageing-working-group/ Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Issues/OlderPersons/IE/Pages/IEOlderPersons.aspx Non-binding charters and declarations on the rights of older persons Declaration of Rights for Older People of Wales, 2014 European Charter of the rights and responsibilities of older people in need of long term carers 12

14 Although fertility decline is regarded as a welcome event, countries that do transition to lower fertility are faced with complex compositional changes in the age structure that require a very different response from that for high fertility. Often, the initial result of fertility decline is a momentary increase in the relative size of youth cohorts and then ultimately a gradual shift of age structure toward elderly ages (Figure 1). These compositional changes can create new challenges, and they can create new opportunities. An increase in longevity, together with lower fertility, also leads to rapid population ageing, which raises concerns of income security, social protection, health care and living conditions in old age as major social development priorities. Yet the consequent decline in the number of dependents can lead to higher capital/labour ratios, which can help accelerate economic growth and development. All countries are expected to move from a situation of high fertility and high mortality to a situation of low fertility and low mortality through a process known as demographic transition. Although different countries in the Asia-Pacific region are currently at different stages of this transition, all of them will eventually arrive at a point where there are growing numbers of older people and a larger share of the population above the age of 65, of which a higher proportion will be women. In particular, these challenges will also require appraisal and restructuring of social welfare arrangements. The pace of ageing is greater for East and North-East Asia because the lowest fertility levels prevail Among the five sub-regions in Asia and the Pacific, the East and North-East Asia sub-region has the lowest TFR 1, at 1.7 in 2014, while the highest TFR is in South and South-West Asia, at 2.5 in The East and North-East Asia sub-region is in fact in an accelerating stage of the ageing process and will have the highest proportion of elderly (age 65+ years) in the region by the second decade of this century. Still, the picture is more complex. Looking Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Payathai Plaza, Suite 9-C Payathai Road, Bangkok, Thailand Tel : (662) /4 Fax : (662) afppd@afppd.org