HC Deb 17 April 2002 vol 383 cc991-2W
29. Ms Coffey

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to help older people living in developing countries. [46069]

Clare Short

My Department's aim is the elimination of poverty in poorer countries. Older people are often among the poorest.

We adopt a rights-based approach. We seek to ensure that poor people are consulted on policies and decisions that affect them and use participatory methods to understand people's perception of their rights and the obstacles they face in accessing entitlements.

We are supporting the African Union's leadership in promoting and guiding national policies on aging in their membership, working to strengthen Government and civil society capacity for addressing aging issues, and assisted the policy development process in the preparations for the Second World Assembly on Aging earlier this month.

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