A gender responsive social protection-health security with reference to older women in Hong Kong

Ageing populations are the most challenging, demographic phenomenon worldwide in 21st century. According to UN, World Population Projection predicts that the world population will be increased from 6.5 billion to 9.1 billion in 2050. It is projected that the largest proportion of older persons will be in Asia and the Pacific region after 30 years. There will be more than 1 billion people age 60 and above by 2025, and nearly 2 billion by 2050, which is three-fourths of population in the less developing world. China, with the largest population in the region, the older persons, especially, the oldest old, are expected to reach 300 million by the middle of the next century with the major characteristics of the fastest speed of ageing, longevity and feminization (UNESCAP, 1999a). This causes tremendous concerns for the planning of public service. The changing ageing structure and the feminization also call for changes in social and fiscal strategies for addressing the social protection and health security for the older women. This paper will 1) provide a background information of the active ageing policy and the relationship between Social Protection-Health Securities 2) review the ageing population in Asia Pacific Region indicating the feminization of the ageing population; 3) utilize the Shanghai Implementation Strategy (SIS) to discuss what aged women would need in Social Protection-Health Security in Hong Kong; 4) make a conclusion based on a HK experience and look ahead to build a sustainable system in a gender responsive.