1. The impact of emerging issues on older people
47th Commission for Social Development, 9th February 2009
Older people contribute so much,
Introduce self and thanks….
it’s time to invest in them.

2. The century of ageing Source: World Population Prospects, 2004, UNDESA
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
The century of ageing
Source: World Population Prospects, 2004, UNDESA

3. Source: World Population Prospects, 2004, UNDESA
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Source: World Population Prospects, 2004, UNDESA

4. Poverty and older people in Africa
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Poverty and older people in Africa

5. Ongoing, cyclical food, fuel and climate crises
Even before price rises, 900 million chronically hungry
Higher % of income on food
Eating less
Buying less nutritious food
Less to invest in small-scale food production

6. Food and fuel crisis in Kyrgyzstan
Impact on older people in winter
Entire pension (av. $30) on flour
Diet of bread and tea – no hot food,
fruit or vegetables
Room temperature below 12C :
cow dung or wood

7. The financial crisis: 2 trends affecting older people
Drops in the amount and value of development aid
Slowing economic growth

8. A pro-poor policy response
More and better aid
Stimulate internal consumer markets
Promote employment & social security
Money in the hands of poor
No reduction in government social spending
High Level Task Force on Food Price Crisis:
“comprehensive targeted social protection
systems that achieve universal coverage of
vulnerable groups and link to other basic social
services will build resilience to future shocks”
Expand and create social protection schemes

9. The impact of social pensions on poverty in South Africa
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
The impact of social pensions on poverty in South Africa
96%
54%
21%
98%
71%
32% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Households
only with
older people
including
All
households
Poverty gap reduction
Destitution gap reduction

10. Secondary beneficiaries of pension income in Namibia
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Secondary beneficiaries of pension income in Namibia

11. Impact of cash transfers on economic growth
Social pensions stimulate demand for goods and services
In Zambia, 70% of cash is spent on locally-produced goods.
In South Africa, new businesses opened because of pension; balance of spending shifted from imported goods to locally produced goods.
In north-east Brazil, pension has significantly stimulated trade.
In Malawi – Dowa cash transfer – for every $1 transferred, a regional multiplier effect of up to 2.45 was observed in local economy.

12. World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

13. Malawi: costs of pension for all over- 65s
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Population Database, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Malawi: costs of pension for all over- 65s  ]

14. Thank you