50
PRIORITYMEASURE28
“Foster policies to encourage individuals to save during their active, productive life so that in the long run they can enjoy adecent old age.”
Possible lines of action
1. Develop a strategic national plan on active ageing, one that takes a comprehensive, multisector approach to active ageing, focused
either on older workers as a specific target group or on meeting their needs within a broader framework designed to address the
challenges of working life (for example, work-life balance); 2. Introduce legislation to prohibit age discrimination in the labour market;
3. Introduce programmes to encourage the transfer of experience and know-how from older workers to younger workers (for example,
mentoring programmes for entrepreneurs); 4. Introduce fiscal incentives for employers (for example, reducing the social contribution
rates) to encourage the retention of older workers; 5. Develop national policies for lifelong learning that include guarantees of education,
training and skills development for older workers; 6. Set up programmes to support people in preparing for retirement through savings
plans and participation in social security systems; 7.Mount a national campaign of financial education for retirement (for example, send
out a yearly letter to workers, projecting their eventual annual retirement incomes); 8. Measure the untapped potential of older persons
for active and healthy ageing, through such tools as theActiveAgeing Index developed by theEconomicCommission for Europe (ECE);
9. Ensure that policies take into account healthy ageing.
Targets
1. To increase the proportion of older persons leading an active life; 2. To eliminate poverty among older persons; 3. To increase the
proportion ofworking-age adultswho are contributing to the social security system.
Tentative indicators
1. The Active Ageing Index; 2. Number and proportion of older persons living below the poverty line; 3. Percentage of working-age
adults contributing to the social security system; 4. Existence of policies aimed at ensuring healthy ageing.
Related instruments,
forums andmechanisms
Thismeasure also appears in theSan JoséCharter, agreement 8:
“
8. Promote fulfilment of the right of older persons to work and have access to income-generating activities by means of the following
actions: (a) Promote the development of measures designed to ensure equal treatment and equal opportunities, especially with regard to
working conditions, guidance and training at all levels, in particular equality in vocational training and job placement; (b) Adopt active
employment policies that promote the participation or re-entry of older workers in the labour market, based on country-specific
opportunities; (c)Promote legal reforms and economic incentives to enable older persons to continueworkingbeyond the retirement age, in
accordance with their capacity, experience and preferences, including measures such as gradually reducing the working day, part-time
employment and flexible hours; (d)Disseminate informationon the right to retire, preparations for retirement and its advantages, aswell as
on thepossibilities of other vocational or voluntary activities; (e)Promote entrepreneurshipandaccess to credit
”.
