The Global AgeWatch Index, now in its second year, ranks 96 countries according to the social and economic wellbeing of their older people – that’s 91 per cent of the global population aged 60 and over. The Index shows that economic growth alone will not improve older people’s wellbeing and that specific policies need to be put in place.
This year, the Index’s Insight report has a special focus on income security, a fundamental concern for older people everywhere. This puts a spotlight on how different countries are responding to people’s right to a secure income in later life, particularly by extending pension coverage. Despite positive developments, the bigger picture remains that only half the world’s population can expect to receive even a basic pension in old age. The report argues that social pensions are an affordable way forward.
The report is complemented by the redesigned Global AgeWatch website. As part of an open approach, the website provides full details of how the Index was constructed and links to all the data sets. One can also view country report cards for all the countries in the Index, with radar charts showing how individual countries perform against the regional average for each domain.
