Five years ago today (12
April), 159 governments signed the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing
(MIPAA). This commits governments to include ageing in all social and economic
development policies, and to halve old-age poverty by 2015, in line with the
Millennium Development Goals, but new research by HelpAge International shows
the state of the world’s older people is getting worse.
Older people are among the poorest in many societies
Research reveals that older
people are among the poorest and most vulnerable in many societies, because
governments have not prepared for the world’s rapidly ageing population.
By 2050, more than one in
five people will be aged over 60, thanks to falling fertility rates and longer
life expectancy. According to UNDESA, nearly 80% will live in developing countries.
HelpAge International estimates that 100 million older people now live on less
than US$1 a day and this figure will continue to rise.
Widespread discrimination
Country reports by HelpAge
International and its partners on the situation of older people in Bangladesh,
Moldova, Serbia, uganda and Vietnam show:
* Older people need to
work into their 70s, 80s or until they die for a regular income, as adequate
safety nets such as a pension are not in place.
*
their rights are not respected
*
older people face widespread
discrimination and abuse.
In Uganda, 64% of older
people live in poverty. Many older people have been affected by the AIDS pandemic
and care for people infected with HIV and orphaned and vulnerable children.
An estimated 50 per cent of the estimated 1.2 million orphans in Uganda are
under the care of grandparents.
John’s story
John Riukaamya is 73 years
old and has more than 20 orphans dependent on him. “Seven of my children
died of AIDS and left their children in my care,” says John. “Everyone
lives in this house which only has six rooms. I was a government servant so
now at least I get a small pension, 110,000 Ugandan shillings (US$63.7) a month
but this is our only income.
“Before the orphans
came I could sustain my wife and our immediate family. With this pension now
I have to buy school books, clothes, food and look after the house. When the
children are sick we have to buy their medicines. When my wife and I are sick
we have to pay a consultation fee as well as buy what the doctor prescribes,
because it is never available free in the health centre. “
United Nations will review MIPAA
The United Nations is reviewing
progress that governments have made towards implementing MIPAA and will present
results in New York early next year (2008). HelpAge International has asked
older people’s organisations in 11 countries to prepare their own national
reports in advance of this process to ensure that the real situation of older
people is represented.
On the fifth anniversary
of MIPAA, HelpAge International’s chief executive officer Richard Blewitt
is calling on all governments to implement age-friendly policies and practices.
“Millions of older people across the world experience isolation, poverty,
violence and abuse and have limited access to health services, education and
legal protection. With no regular income older people are often forced to work
in low-paid or demeaning jobs to provide for themselves and their dependants.
We are asking governments to implement a tripartite package of universal social
pensions, free healthcare and non-discriminatory laws."
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