Expert advocates universal pensions for older persons

By Francis Arinze Iloani

There is need for universal pensions to address poverty and other vulnerabilities of older persons.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the SGA Africa Annual Regional Conference on Ageing in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer, Malawi Network of Older People’s Organisation (MANEPO), Malawi, Mr Andrew Kavala, said this is critical to protect aged persons.

Kavala, who is also a Country Director, Regional Age Network, South Africa, presented a paper on “Addressing older persons in multi-dimensional poverty through social protection’’ (Social Pension and Health Insurance).

He said the paper examined various challenges which older people were going through across Africa and ways to mitigate such challenges, stressing that Key systematic vehicles countries has adopted was social protection.

He said social protection was an innovative way of addressing challenges through transfers; adding that “it is done in many ways either through health insurance or cash transfers, grants or pensions’’.

“The key to addressing poverty and older person vulnerabilities is through the implementation of universal pension, a pension that did not target working class citizens only.

“The pension should include non-formal sector such as owners of small scale businesses; this category of people have participated in the growth and development of the society but they are now living in poverty,’’ he said.

He therefore appealed to other African states to emulate Tanzania and other African states implementing universal pension.

He added that results of impact assessment survey conducted in Tanzania shows that the scheme was quite exciting and it had a huge impact on the life of older persons.

According to him, Kenya had recently implemented and rollout universal pension for older persons who are age 70 and above.

“Countries like South Africa, Mauritius, Lesotho and Botswana are also implementing old age pensions.

“They are saying can other countries emulate them and begin to look at sustainable ways of addressing poverty and vulnerabilities in old age.’’

He said the conference had various stakeholders working on ageing in Africa and other regions it focus on various topics such as poverty and vulnerabilities of older person’s available legal instrument, among others.

He said the conference had provided evidence for the continent to move forward.

He expressed optimism that the outcome of the conference would support older persons across the continent to live old age with dignity.