United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) UNFPA recently began a five-year project in collaboration with Statistics Korea, the central organization for statistics in the Republic of Korea. The first major activity of the project is the preparation of a stocktaking report on the theme “The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing: where are we fifteen years later?” that will measure progress in fulfilling the commitments made by Governments during the Second World Assembly on Ageing, in 2002, and in implementing the recommendations of the Madrid Plan of Action. The report will focus on a select number of major issues under each of the three priority directions of the Plan of Action: (a) older persons and development; (b) advancing health and well-being into older age; and (c) ensuring enabling and supportive environments. The report will be the contribution of UNFPA to the third review and appraisal. It will illustrate progress in the implementation of the Plan of Action by region, providing specific country examples, and include the voices of older persons gleaned from focus group discussions in select countries. The report will highlight key issues of particular importance in each region, point to emerging concerns and provide recommendations for action to improve the quality of life of older persons. In addition, UNFPA is supporting HelpAge International in coordinating the above-mentioned series of focus groups to elicit the views of older women and men on the impact of national actions relating to the Plan of Action’s three priority directions. Focus group meetings will be conducted in both rural and urban settings in a number of countries. The results of those meetings will contribute to the Fund’s review report.