The Worldwide Independent Network of MR (WIN), the leading global association of independent market research and polling firms, has released new findings from its Worldviews Survey ahead of World Population Day. Based on insights from over 45,000 people across 44 countries, the data highlights a striking global consensus: majorities across three of society’s most vulnerable groups, the elderly, people living with disabilities, and the youth, feel that society does not do enough for them. At the same time, two-thirds of the world’s population view age discrimination as a serious issue, raising urgent questions about inclusion, protection, and intergenerational solidarity as the global population continues to age.

HEADLINES – IRELAND

• Irish society is widely seen as failing to support key groups
  Perceptions of social care in Ireland remain consistently low, with only around one in four people believing that key groups – including young people, older adults and those living with disabilities – are adequately supported. This lack of confidence spans all demographics, pointing to a broader sense that societal systems are not delivering for those most in need. Ireland also consistently falls behind global averages, reinforcing a perception that other countries are doing more to support vulnerable populations.

• Young people are viewed as the most underserved group
  Young people emerge as the group most clearly perceived to be struggling, with 62% of Irish adults saying the youth are not supported by society, and just 26% believing they are well supported. This concern is even more pronounced among older generations, who are more sceptical than younger cohorts. Ireland also trails the global average of 37% who believe youth are supported, highlighting a significant perception gap.

• Perceptions of support for older people are improving – but concerns remain
  There are signs of progress in perceptions of support for older people, with the proportion who feel the elderly are supported rising from 15% in 2021 to 24% in 2026. However, this still leaves fewer than 1 in 4 believing older people are adequately supported, and Ireland remains below the global average of 36%. Alongside this, concerns about fairness persist, with 61% of Irish adults saying age discrimination is a serious issue, indicating that while improvements are recognised, significant concerns remain about how older generations are treated.

• Ireland trails global confidence in support for people living with disabilities
  Confidence in how Irish society supports people living with disabilities is similarly low, with only 25% of Irish adults believing adequate support is in place. This again places Ireland below the global average of 35%, reinforcing a consistent pattern across all groups where Ireland is seen to underperform internationally. Perceptions also vary by age, with younger adults more positive (44%) compared to older groups, suggesting that while there are pockets of optimism, the overall view remains that support systems are falling short.

The findings point to a consistent perception that Irish society is not adequately supporting its most vulnerable groups, with confidence falling behind global standards and concerns cutting across all generations.

HEADLINES WORLD

The majority of people globally do not believe vulnerable groups are socially cared for

As the global population ages amidst sociopolitical and economic uncertainty, debates about intergenerational solidarity, inclusion, and social protection are becoming increasingly central. Looking across three demographic groups, the elderly, people with disabilities, and the youth, and one message emerges clearly: the majority in all three groups feel that society does not do enough for them. What is particularly striking is how closely aligned these proportions are: 59%, 57%, and 56%, respectively.

Globally, 44% of the population believes society fails vulnerable groups, with women being the most critical, a pattern consistent across the WVS study, while only 1 in 5 people (21%) believe the three groups are sufficiently cared for.

Taken together, these findings suggest that inadequate care is not confined to any one vulnerable group, but reflects a broader perception that societies are struggling to provide sufficient protection and inclusion to people at different stages and conditions of life. The remarkably similar levels of concern across youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities point to a systemic issue rather than a group-specific one, a widespread sense that social support structures are falling short.

Perception of elder social care varies and depends on cultural norms and welfare expectations

While 36% of people globally believe the elderly are sufficiently cared for, a modest improvement from 31% in 2018, the majority (59%) do not share that view.

Concern intensifies with age: 71% of those over 65 believe society does not adequately care for older adults, compared to just 47% amongst young adults. Critical views also increase with education level, and women tend to be more pessimistic than men (62% vs. 56%).

Most regions view elder care as insufficient, with Europe and the Americas the most critical and Croatia the most pessimistic country globally. APAC is the notable exception; the only region where a majority holds positive views on elder care. This contrast may reflect differing family structures, welfare expectations, or cultural norms around ageing and intergenerational responsibility.

To contextualise the findings, WIN members from countries where perceptions of elder care improved, including the UK, Vietnam, Mexico, and the Netherlands, pointed to greater public awareness of loneliness, wellbeing, and family bonds following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as healthcare improvements and reforms aimed at supporting older adults.

In countries where perceptions worsened, such as Paraguay and the Philippines, members attributed the shift to dissatisfaction with pension systems, inadequate healthcare access, insufficient public support programmes, and broader political debates around ageing and retirement.

Concern for disability care transcends borders, with APAC as an exception

A 57% majority believe that insufficient social care is available for people with disabilities, and women, older adults, and those with higher levels of education are the most pessimistic.

Countries with the most positive perceptions include Vietnam (84%), China (77%), and Indonesia (70%), followed closely by the Philippines (66%) — a country whose population otherwise holds negative views of social care for the elderly and the youth.

These findings reinforce a picture of care for people with disabilities as a critical concern globally, widely perceived as inadequate, with significant worries surrounding protection and inclusion.

Older adults are especially concerned about the lack of social support for the youth

A 56% global majority believe that society does not sufficiently care for the youth, while 37% believe it does, a slight improvement from 34% in 2018.

As with elder care, women are more critical than men (59% vs. 53%), and concern increases with education level. However, younger people themselves are notably less critical; it is older generations who express the greatest dissatisfaction on this front. This may reflect an awareness amongst older adults of the mounting pressures facing young people today, like housing costs, employment uncertainty, mental health challenges, digital pressures, and diminishing future opportunities, leading them to judge current support as inadequate.

Regionally, the picture mirrors that of elder care: the Americas and Europe are the most pessimistic, while APAC and parts of Africa take a more positive view.

WIN members from countries where perceptions of youth care have worsened since 2018, including Denmark, Canada, the United States, Peru, the Philippines, India, and the Netherlands, most frequently cited rising cost of living, housing access difficulties, declining public services, mental health pressures, the pandemic’s impact on education and socialisation, and the anxiety amplified by social media environments.

By contrast, analysts from countries where perceptions improved, such as Mexico, suggested that the pandemic fostered a stronger appreciation of family ties, close social networks, and emotional support systems, contributing to a more positive view of how society cares for younger generations.

Several analysts also noted that perceptions around youth care appear highly sensitive to the visibility of public debate, media attention, and government policy in areas such as education, mental health, and future opportunity.

Ageism is seen as pervasive globally, even where family care networks remain strong

66% of the global population consider age discrimination a serious issue, a concern that rises with age, reaching 69% amongst those over 65. Several Latin American countries rank amongst the most concerned globally, including Colombia (90%), Peru (86%), Brazil (86%), Chile (83%), Ecuador (82%), Mexico (82%), Paraguay (81%), Venezuela (81%), and Argentina (79%). Notably, concern about age discrimination runs higher than concern about elder social care across most countries. This gap is especially pronounced in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia.

This divergence suggests that perceptions of “care” and “discrimination” operate along different dimensions. A WIN member from Argentina explains that Latin American cultures continue to maintain strong family and intergenerational bonds, where older adults often receive emotional support, daily assistance, and close contact within family networks. As a result, people may be less inclined to characterise older adults as entirely “uncared for.”

At the same time, there is strong recognition that older adults face discrimination in broader social life, including exclusion from the labour market, stereotypes around productivity and autonomy, lack of representation, barriers in increasingly digital societies, and forms of institutional and social invisibility. In other words, private care and public inclusion do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Hong Kong, China and Norway, followed by Denmark and Malaysia, are amongst the least concerned about ageism.

Richard Colwell, President of WIN International Association, said:

“These findings send a clear and consistent message: across the world, people do not feel that society is doing enough for its most vulnerable. What makes this data so compelling is not just the scale of concern, but its uniformity; whether we are talking about the elderly, young people, or those living with disabilities, majorities in every group feel left behind. Add to that the fact that two-thirds of the global population see age discrimination as a serious issue, and it becomes clear that this is not a challenge confined to any one country or culture. As our populations age and pressures on social systems intensify, governments, institutions, and communities will need to move beyond awareness and commit to meaningful, inclusive action.”

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-ENDS-

Media enquiries:

IRELAND DATA

Ciara Reilly, Group Director, RED C Research

Sakshi Murarka, Associate Director, RED C Research

+35318186316

[email protected]

WORLDWIDE DATA

Elena Crosilla, WIN Coordinator

+39 335.62.07.347

E-mail: [email protected]

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Methodology:

The survey was conducted in 44 countries using CAWI / CATI / F2F/ TAPI /online survey methods.

Sample Size and Mode of Field Work:

A total of 45,000 people were interviewed. See below for sample details. The fieldwork was conducted between : 27th November 2025 to 13th February 2026. The margin of error for the survey is between 4.4 and 2.5 at 95% confidence level.

The global average has been computed according to the covered adult population of the surveyed countries.

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