JAKARTA (Joint press release): In Asia and the Pacific, the number of older persons is growing rapidly, from 410 million in 2007 to about 733 million in 2025, and to an expected 1.3 billion in 2050. Ageing will also intensify over the next 50 years and the Asian population aged over 60 will increase almost three times from 9 percent in 2000 to an estimated 24 percent by 2050. In 2020, the number of older people in Indonesia is estimated to steadily increase to 28.8 million (11 percent of total population).

Much of the policy attention has focused on pension and productivity issues of older workers. However, the conditions of work and employment available to them also play an important role. They shape older workers’ decisions to work or retire, employers’ ability to hire and retain older workers, and how societies provide support for older people who are no longer able to work.

To address this issue, the University of Indonesia (UI), with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), is organizing a one-day seminar on ageing and productivity on Monday, 15 March 2010, at UI, Depok, West Java. The seminar will also mark the launch of the Centre for Ageing Studies, University of Indonesia (CAS UI) and the commemoration of the National Day of Older Persons. These events will be officially opened by H.E. Muhaimin Iskandar, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration and Prof. der Soz. Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri, Rector of University of Indonesia.

Mr Peter van Rooij, Officer-in-charge of ILO Jakarta, greatly welcomes the establishment of the Centre. He stated that the concern regarding older workers is not new to the ILO. The ILO has paid serious attention to the issue since the late 1970’s as reflected by ILO’s Recommendation No. 162 on Older Workers Recommendation.

“Extending life expectancy has been one of humankind’s greatest accomplishments. Yet, at the same time, it has raised a number of policy questions affecting societies and labour markets around the world. One of the main social challenges of ageing societies is to secure adequate levels of income for all older persons without overstretching the capacities of younger generations,” he said, adding that given the fact that many old people can not afford to retire and may not even wish to do so, the challenge is to extend the working life and enhance the employability of older workers.

The aims of the seminar and establishment of CAS UI are to better understand population ageing from an employment perspective and to improve the awareness of younger generations in the preparation for productive ageing. These events are also aim to introduce the role of CAS UI in supporting national and international ageing policies and programmes.

Issues related to ageing and productivity will be further discussed by key national and international speakers: Dr Makmur Sanusi, Directorate Services and Social Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Prof. Eef Hogervost, Department of Human Sciences Loughborough University, UK.

In relation to ageing and productivity, UI has closely worked together with other educational institutions, such as the Oxford Institute of Ageing and the University of Oxford, the University of Loughborough, the National Commission of Older Persons of The Republic of Indonesia (NCOP), and the Active Ageing Consortium Asia Pacific (ACAP). In the near future, UI plans to expand its collaboration with other institutions in several countries, including among others the Institute of Gerontology of the Universiti Putra Malaysia in Malaysia, the Council of the Third Age in Singapore, the University of Tokyo in Japan and the Centre for Ageing Studies of the University of Kerala in India.

Meanwhile, the ILO has issued a package on ageing which is primarily designed as training for employers’ organizations and enterprises to assist them to develop programmes and policies that create decent and productive conditions of work and employment for older workers. The package is also aimed to demonstrate how the retention and recruitment of older workers can be an integral and compatible part of competitive and productive enterprises.

For further information please contact:

Ms Dra. Vita Priantina Dewi, MSH
Universitas Indonesia
Mobile: +62818 0976 7171
Email

Mr Muce Mochtar
Programme Officer
ILO Jakarta Office
Tel. +6221 3913112 ext. 105
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Ms Gita Lingga
Media Officer
Tel. +6221 3913112 ext. 115
Mobile: +62815 884 5833
Email