International Women’s Day: Older Care Addresses UN

HelpAge International

March 6, 2009

Africa

An older woman from Zambia has addressed NGOs and policy makers at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) this week to raise awareness of the impact on older women of caring for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Kufekise Laugrey shared her experience of caring for several family members living with HIV at an event co-sponsored by HelpAge International, held in advance of International Women's Day on 8 March:

“Five of my close family members are living with HIV including my son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. They all live with me and I care for them. This has a big impact on my life.

“Older people provide so much HIV-related care, yet we still remain largely invisible in the HIV response. It is essential that the invaluable role older people, and particularly older women, play in providing care is recognized.

“The main problem for older careers is the economic impact of providing care. We want to care for our family members but we need to be supported to do this.

“In Zambia, donors and the government have begun pilot pension schemes to provide universal pensions to older people. These pensions have had a really positive impact on the lives of older people and their families and must be scaled up both in African countries and beyond.”

Highlighting older women’s role

HelpAge International is part of a consortium of NGOs and grassroots organizations which submitted a statement to the CSW about the impact the AIDS pandemic has placed on women’s lives. 

Evidence shows that older women bear a large share of caring responsibilities for those affected by HIV and AIDS. In severely affected countries in eastern and southern Africa, up to 60% of orphans and vulnerable children are cared for by their grandmothers. 

Older women take on this role at a time of their lives when they are less able to work and may be in poor health themselves. As well as dealing with the emotional and financial impacts of caring many also face also experience stigma and discrimination from other family members and the wider community.



Rachel Albone, HIV and AIDS Policy Advisor at HelpAge International, says:

“It’s vital that governments and international agencies actively include older people in HIV policy making processes in order to ensure that careers receive the support they need.”

“For older careers in particular, social protection measures such as pensions are a straightforward and cost effective way to improve the health and income security of both caregivers and those in their care.”

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