Jo Maher HIV

1
Jo MaherHIV AIDS CoordinatorHelpAge
International
Intergenerational Poverty
2
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

3
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

4
The Cycle of Care
Phase 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 1 Weakening 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 2 Morbidity 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 3 Older person as head of family
School on/off Cared for by Grandparents Loss of parents
Deceased
Earners Carers Worry weary
Phase 4 Grandchildren reach working age
Finish school find work Care for grandparents Pressure to support
Deceased
Retire Cared for by grandchildren Some security
5
Older peoples time
6
The cost of care

• Rural Mozambique
• Cost of caring for a child 21
• Cost of caring for a person living with HIV
  30
• Income 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 lt 10 of households supporting children
  were reached
• Declaration of commitment on HIV/AIDS five years
  later. Report of General Secretary, 2006

7
Social protection in the form of a social pension

• Realise older peoples rights
• Reduce poverty
• Tackle HIV and AIDS
• Effectively support the most vulnerable

8
Older people and decent work

• Older people work
• A high proportion are economically active
• Older peoples capacity to earn income is often
  low
• Often work is under recognised, under valued and
  under paid

9
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

10
Universal social pensions as of GDP
1
2
Source Pensions Watch, HAI, 2006
11
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
12
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 scheme
• Basic consumption, school related expenditure,
  investment
• Mozambique food subsidy programme
• Income invested in informal saving schemes during
  harvest

13
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

14
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

15
A time of opportunity