ELDERLY PERSONS in AFRICAN SOCIAL POLICIES : CURRENT SITUATION, ISSUES and CHALLENGES

Esther EYINGA DIMI, Bureau Central des recensements et des Etudes de Population (BUCREP)
Danielle Raffaella Bikoah Meyo, Euro Med

Although the demographic weight of the elderly is still low in Africa (around 5%), their number and proportion are expected to increase considerably by 2050. Such a rise will increase the need for social protection and healthcare among the elderly. Based on a literature review, this article takes stock of social policies to support the elderly in Africa. It also identifies the issues and challenges facing such policies in Africa. At the end of this review, it emerges that social policies to support the elderly are limited, in most countries, to retirement policies, which concern only a minority of elderly people. In addition, in most African countries, health care provision for the elderly remains inadequate. The governments of these countries should therefore effectively anticipate the demographic ageing of their populations. These changes will require the introduction of non-contributory social pension schemes, as well as health systems that provide free care for the elderly and better medical and social care.

Keywords: Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination, Health and Morbidity, Population Ageing

See extended abstract.