REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE ELDERLY
The elderly in Spain are one the most important social groups, and paradoxically they are not represented in the institutions where the conditions and directives that affect them are debated and decided.
During the Euromeetings held in Benidorm in 2006 and the General Assembly of the Spanish Federation held in La Coruña the same year, as well as during the Euromeeting of 2007 in Sicilia, we underlined the necessity to be represented at national and supranational levels in the institutions that deal with issues affecting the elderly -pensions, dependence, juridical security, discrimination, protection, etc.
THE CURRENT SITUATION IN SPAIN
The representativeness of the elderly in the Spanish society only limits to the “Consejo Estatal de las Personas Mayores” (State Council Of the Elderly) through the medium of associations of older people like the CEOMA, (Confederación Española de Organizaciones de Mayores), the Spanish Confederation of Older People Organizations – to which we belong - and other similar associations.
The State Council of the Elderly is an interministerial registered body of the State General Administration, attached to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. It has an advisory capacity. It was created in 1944 and controlled by the Royal Decree 117/2005 of February the 4th, and registered to “Boletín Oficial del Estado” (the official newspaper of the Government of Spain) on February the 5th 2005. Its aim is to institutionalize the collaboration and participation of the elderly in the creation, application and unwavering of policies concerning care, social integration and quality of life, in the scope of the Sate General Administration.
Among other things, its missions are: to promote the development of associations and the participation of the elderly in the society; to establish systems of cooperation between the authorities and the social organizations; to represent the elderly in front of institutions and organizations both at national and international level. The Council is formed of a president, two vice-presidents, a secretary and 60 advisors. Among those advisors: 2 are full-right -the titular of the State Secretary for Social Services, Families and Handicapped, and the titular of the Directorate-General of the INSERSO (Instituto Nacional de Servicios Sociales- National Institute of Social Services); 13 belong to the Public Administration; 7 to the State General Administration; 4 to the Autonomous Administration; 2 to the Local Administration; 19 represent each Autonomous Community; 1 person from the General Council for Emigration, and 25 from the Confederation of Associations of the Elderly.
It means that, both at State and Autonomous Community level, 35 people represent the elderly, and that they are represented through their associations by 25 members, in other words 58,33% of the State Council's members work for the Administration and 41,66% members belong to associations directly representing the elderly.
THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION
At the level of International Bodies – mainly in the European Union- the representativeness is made through the AGE Platform, in which the Spanish older people are represented by the members of CEOMA which belong to the Platform. The European Group is also integrated into the AGE Platform for the elderly in Europe.
CONCLUSION
The above described situation shows that we, the elderly, are not represented, neither directly nor indirectly to the decision-making institutions. Indeed, the State Council, according to its missions, is an advisory body which belongs to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and the conclusions it draws are not binding neither for the Ministry nor for the Government.
That is why we should contemplate how older people could represent themselves, both at national and international level, to those bodies, organizations and forums in which the debates are held and where the decisions about them are taken. The point is to be able to express directly problems and concerns to the present members of the State Council and to all the groups which will successively join the Council.
Our concern does not limit to us, we also care for the next generations.
Sources: Web page of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and private content.
Antonio Lozano Agudo - Spain
