Maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and ageing
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Percentage of countries that have a national programme to support activities in line with the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities
Index Name
Percentage of countries that have a national programme to support activities in line with the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities
Short name
National Programme on Age-friendly Cities and Communities
Definition
Age-friendly environments enable older people to age well in a place that is right for them, continue to develop personally, be included, and contribute to their communities while enabling their independence and health. Percentage of countries that have a national programme to support activities in line with the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.
Rationale
Age-friendly environment is essential for healthy ageing as it supports independence, physical and mental well-being, social participation, healthy lifestyles, access to services, cognitive health, dignity, and economic and social integration. Creating such environments ensures that older people can lead fulfilling lives and contribute positively to society as they age
Domain
Policy, action plan and strategy & law
Existing Data
Yes
Numerator
Number of countries with national programmes to foster age-friendly environments
Denominator
Total number of countries
Unit of Measure
Percentage of Countries
Disaggregation
WHO Region and Income Group
Measurement Method
Calculating this indicator requires country-reported data on national policies, action plans, strategies, or programmes. At the global level, these data are periodically collected through the Decade Process Evaluation Survey.
Method of estimation
The number of countries in the region that responded "Yes", "No" or "Not Reported".
Limitations
Not all age-friendly cities and communities are affiliated with the WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, so this indicator only reflects the presence of national programmes rather than their adherence to internationally recognized standards. It measures the existence of such programmes but does not evaluate their implementation, effectiveness, or impact. Even if a country has a national programme, it does not guarantee that the programme is well-resourced, actively operational, or integrated into broader policies. Moreover, the indicator does not assess the quality, comprehensiveness, or alignment with best practices of these programmes, which can vary widely in scope and coverage. Additionally, it does not account for differences in how age-friendly environments are defined or the extent to which these programmes address the specific needs of older populations effectively.
Preferred data source
Process evaluation survey, WHO Age-friendly network
Other possible data sources
None recommended
Last date of metadata update
2025-01-21
Contact person name
AMUTHAVALLI THIYAGARAJAN, Jotheeswaran
Contact person email
amuthavallithiya@who.int
IMRID
10219
Toolkit
Healthy ageing indicators