Intergenerational Poverty

Jo Maher HIV & AIDS Coordinator HelpAge International

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 Care

Phase of HIV Family life sans HIV
Generation of Family School Cared For by parents Warmth & Care

Phase 1 Weakening of family & loss of income

Phase 2 Morbidity & mortality

Phase 3 Older person as head of family

Phase 4 Grandchildren reach working age

Children/ Young Generation

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

School absentee Caring neglect Trauma of death of parents

School on/off Cared for by Grandparents Loss of parents

Finish school & find work Care for grandparents Pressure to support Deceased

Parents/ Middle Generation

Economic Earners Care Providers for elderly & children

Stop Work Sick Stress & physical pain Death Sole economic providers Carers for sick & children Stress of Caring

Deceased

Grandparents/ Older Generation

Retired from work Cared for by Adult children Secure

Earners Carers Worry & weary

Retire Cared for by grandchildren Some security

Older peoples time

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The cost of care

Rural Mozambique:
Cost of caring for a child Cost of caring for a person living with HIV Income of an older person = $21 = $30 = $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 peoples 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 peoples 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

1%

2%

Source: Pensions Watch, HAI, 2006

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 meanstested 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 scheme Basic 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