The Government has set up a steering committee to coordinate and promote measures to protect the elderly, in an effort to explore the challenges and opportunities created in managing a community with an ageing population. According to an Executive Order published today in the Macao SAR Gazette, the Interdepartmental Steering Committee on Mechanisms to Protect the Elderly will coordinate policy in the short-, medium- and long-term regarding Macao’s 10-year action plan for services for the elderly. The plan spans the period 2016 to 2025. The Steering Committee will also be responsible for reviewing and modifying the protection mechanism as the needs of society – and of the growing number of the elderly – change over time. Other functions of the Steering Committee include: formulation of the next 10-year action plan regarding services for the elderly to be implemented after 2025; enabling non-governmental organisations to take part in policymaking on issues affecting the elderly; the setting up of a benchmarking system to assess the effectiveness of each 10-year action plan; and reporting to the Chief Executive on the progress achieved and follow-ups needed regarding each action plan. The Steering Committee has 14 members, with the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture in the role of chairman. The Director of the Social Welfare Bureau is the vice chairwoman of the Steering Committee.
