Promoting Active Ageing in Lithuania

The Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) of the European Commission, the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs and the OECD Directorate for Public Governance are co-operating to provide technical support to Member States through a project funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument.

Context and objectives

The sharp expected drop in the working-age population will make Lithuania continue to age at a fast pace. As older persons become an ever larger proportion of the total population, a key challenge for Lithuania is to provide them with opportunities to contribute to society so that their skills, experiences and knowledge can be put to use for the benefit of all. However, the current measures to facilitate active ageing are fragmented and therefore sub-optimal.

The low participation of older people in non-formal learning presents a major obstacle to their independence and successful participation in employment and social life. Lithuania also performs below EU average in older people’s participation in public and political life, calling for targeted measures to addressing social exclusion and providing tailored opportunities for engagement. Improving outcomes in these dimensions will also require effective public governance mechanisms which are crucial for the design and implementation of active ageing strategies, as they can help align the policy objectives of central and subnational stakeholders.

This project aims to support the Ministry of Social Security and Labour (MSSL) to develop and implement at a new approach to the active integration of older people into social as well as public and political life and to enhance their participation in employment activities and lifelong learning. This project will support MSSL in (i) undertaking a multi-dimensional analysis of key areas of active ageing and underlying structural challenges; (ii) compiling best practices and presenting options that are suitable in the Lithuanian context; and (iii) testing new approaches to active participation at the local level in Lithuania.

Project relevance

This type of support could be relevant for other countries seeking to respond to the challenges presented by rapid population ageing. Tackling these challenges will require an integrated approach and involvement of wide range of stakeholders. Particular area that maybe of interest to other countries include how to encourage seniors to stay active in the labour market, healthy, socially and politically engaged and invest in their skills throughout the lifecycle.