International Conference ‘Population Ageing. Towards an Improvement of the Quality of Life?’ Organised by the Belgian Platform on Population and Development Brussels, 1 March 2007 Under the auspices of the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGDC), the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITG) in Antwerp, and the Research Centre of the Flemish Government (SVR) Participation of older persons in the Household Management Yacouba YARO SVR – Studiedienst Vlaamse Regering (Research Centre Flemish Government)

Overview Definition and perception of older persons in Africa The role of older persons in the regulation of traditional society Current situation of older persons in African changing societies Participation of older persons in the management of households in time of AIDS Lessons learnt Recommendations SVR

Definition of older persons in Africa Many criteria are used for the definition of older persons The age is the common criterion: the age of retirement, which is often different within a country and between countries. It’s taking into account professional categories and level of instruction(51 years to 65 years) The age of retirement for some profession, such as the lower classes of army, is sometimes less than 45 years the age of menopause : when a woman is not any longer giving birth, she can be considered as an older person, in some African societies Physical conditions: when someone has not endurance to support physical efforts of his/her age. In some African context older women who cannot be much more active are often treated as witches and excluded or expelled Social perception: when a person has grand children

Limit of definition of older person The age of retirement is not yet sufficient to qualify an older person. in 1994 The ILO assessed in SSA the retired people at around 10% of the global population, while the same population in Developed countries are over 60%. Among that 10% retired people, only 3% are often having a pension from their Government. Consequently many older people over 65 years are still participating in economical and social production By the involvement of older persons in economical production of their families, in addition with their great role played in households and social management, they are much more seen as Elders than Older people

Role of older persons in the traditional society As elders in traditional society, they are in charge of: Regulating the domestic production Ensuring for households means and factor of production Controlling and supervising all the production process, Redistributing the crops Managing family members, etc. The role devoted to Elders in traditional societies is the source of their power to control several generations of people in the household

A decreasing role of older persons in a changing society Older persons are hardly benefiting some support, especially financial aid and medical support from their family members, and by extension from the Government (there is no clear mechanism) In most of African important urban areas (Abidjan, Dakar, Ouagadougou) older persons are seen as burden for their family. Life is not easy in urban areas ‘’ More and more retired people are seen as useless person’s’ ‘Family members avoid meeting us because for them, it’s an obligation to give us support or aid. We are frustrated by the mistreatment of some of our parents and even our children. Furthermore Administration or Government forget all of us, so when a retired person died, there is no announcement in the medias’’

Older persons in the management of households in time of AIDS With the AIDS pandemic, older people are the main shelters for Orphans In a recent study carried out by CERFODES in Burkina, 39% of fostering children were living with their grand parents The situation is worse in Eastern and Southern Africa where 60-70% of fostering children, due to their status of orphan, live with grand- parents With HIV/AIDS consequences older persons are having larger families – in some countries with an average of five members per family, the average is 8+ members for older people The consequence is the shortage of means to guarantee education and good health for all family members As the main support of OVCs, one can notice an increasingly impoverished households led by older persons

The main consequences linked to the management of households by older persons in time of AIDS Many children are not any longer going to school Some children are early involved in child labor There is not enough care for OVCs In most of those families, older persons as well as children are facing the insecurity of their future existence Solidarity recognized as a main characteristic of African society has been degenerating with lack of support.

Lesson learnt Who is an older person in Africa? Elder or Older, which concept is the most appropriate in African context where pension is not for all retired people? Despite the low number of older people in Africa, there is the fact that most of them are marginalized by their families and by the authorities of their country. households led by older persons in time of AIDS aggravated by harsh economical situation must be seen as a burden for a good future of thousands of children, especially OVCs

Recommendations Encourage African Governments to set specific policies and mechanism towards older people to improve the quality of their lives Create great interest and synergy among African researchers through research centers and universities to better analyze the conditions of older persons lives and the consequences on the development of African future society