Jo MaherHIV & AIDS Coordinator
HelpAge International
Intergenerational Poverty
Older people
• The proportion of older people is increasing
• Older People are consistently among the poorest
• Older people are often ‘invisible’ or ignored
• Increasing interdependence between older and younger people
The impact of HIV and AIDS
90% of AIDS related care is provided at home, often by older women.
Up to two-thirds of people living with AIDS are cared for by their parents in their 60s and 70s.
Over 60% of orphaned children live in households headed by their grandparents in severely affected countries
The Cycle of CarePhase of HIV
Generation of Family
Children/Young
Generation
Parents/Middle
Generation
Grandparents/Older Generation
Family life sans HIV
•School•Cared For by parents•Warmth & Care
•Economic Earners•Care Providers for elderly & children
•Retired from work•Cared for by Adult children•Secure
Phase 1Weakening of
family & loss of income
•School most of the time•Caring breaking down•Lack of warmth
•Work on/off•Health weakening•Concern for children
•Supplement family income•Care for children & sick adults•Insecure
Phase 2Morbidity &
mortality
•School absentee•Caring neglect•Trauma of death of parents
•Stop Work•Sick•Stress & physical pain•Death
•Sole economic providers•Carers for sick & children•Stress of Caring
Phase 3Older person as head of family
•School on/off•Cared for by Grandparents•Loss of parents
•Deceased
•Earners•Carers•Worry & weary
Phase 4Grandchildren
reach working age
•Finish school & find work•Care for grandparents•Pressure to support
•Deceased
•Retire•Cared for by grandchildren•Some security
Older people’s time
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The cost of care
Rural Mozambique: Cost of caring for a child = $21Cost of caring for a person living with HIV = $30Income of an older person = $12
Tanzania:Tanga: Cost of caring for a child TSh25,000 ($19)Pera: Older women spent 80% of their time looking after children
2005: < 10% of households supporting children were reached Declaration of commitment on HIV/AIDS: five years later. Report of General Secretary, 2006
Social protection in the form of a social pension
Realise older people’s rights
Reduce poverty
Tackle HIV and AIDS
Effectively support the most vulnerable
Older people and decent work
Older people work:
• A high proportion are economically active
• Older people’s capacity to earn income is often low
• Often work is under recognised, under valued and under paid
Universal social pensions
After a lifetime of work older people have a right to a pension:
• Pensions reduce old-age and household poverty
• Pensions are affordable
• Universal right to social security and to a secure old age
Universal social pensions as % of GDP
Source: Pensions Watch, HAI, 2006
1% 2%
Universal social pensions - coverage
In 17 countries surveyed, 24.3 million people over 60 receive a social pension.
83% do not receive a social pension because they are means-tested or the age limit is set too high.Source: Pensions Watch, HAI 2006
The impact of pensions
Lesotho old age pension
Basic consumption, services for older people and dependents, income generation.
Ethiopia Meket cash for relief programme
Mothers able to spend time with children, livelihoods protected from shocks
Zambia Kalomo pilot cash transfer schemeBasic consumption, school related expenditure, investment
Mozambique food subsidy programme
Income invested in informal saving schemes during harvest
Older Citizens Monitoring: Promoting good governance and uptake of pensions in Bangladesh
• Older people formed associations
• Monitored allowances and access to health services
• Discovered low take up
• Lobbying improved coverage and delivery
Core recommendations
Implement social transfers as a right and entitlement
Introduce national instruments with costs integrated into national development plans
Incorporate cash transfers into a bigger social protection package
Ensure that transfers are regular, predictable and sufficient to ensure the most positive impact on wellbeing
Make universal schemes clear and simple
A time of opportunity