The world’s population is ageing across all regions of the globe. There are currently around 900 million older persons worldwide, representing approximately 12.5% of the global population. By 2050, this will increase to 2.1 billion or 21.5% of the global population.
Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and in 2015 it had an older population of approximately 12.5 million. This places Pakistan in a group of only 15 countries worldwide that have more than 10 million older people. By 2050, the number of older persons living in the country will reach a staggering 40 million.
The evidence available in the Global AgeWatch Index, developed by the author at University of Southampton (UK) for HelpAge International, identifies contexts around the world where older people fare better and point to policy interventions that are effective in reducing their vulnerabilities.
Pakistan ranks depressingly low in the Global AgeWatch Index: at 92 out of 94 countries. It has one of the lowest pension income coverage in the world. It ranks particularly low with respect to health of older persons, with a relatively low life expectancy and even lower healthy life expectancy. It ranks low also with respect to satisfaction of older persons with social connectedness, civic freedom and public transport.
In the future, the continued increase in the life expectancy will lead to an increasing number of old and very old people in Pakistan. As families and especially poor families will not be able to sustain older people for so many additional years, research is required on how lives of older men and women are affected.
In response to some of these issues, there is an urgent need for understanding the state of the human rights of older persons and developing policies to promote and protect their rights. The British Council in Pakistan is addressing this need through the study Moving from the Margins: Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Older Persons in Pakistan in collaboration with HelpAge International Pakistan. HelpAge International is a global network working with and for older people.
People should not lose their human rights as they grow older. For example, it should not be acceptable to deny people the opportunity to work, or have access to healthcare services and education purely because of their age. Age discrimination should not affect negatively on older people’s access to humanitarian assistance and importantly on their ability to remain independent and in control of their own lives. This new British Council research project will aim to provide evidence of what human rights are neglected in Pakistan for the older population and what policies and programmes are required, at the Federal and the Provincial levels, to promote and protect the rights of Pakistan’s older population.
In Pakistan, only a limited number of policy instruments have been developed so far to address issues associated with human rights of older persons. Pakistan also lacks clear and comprehensive institutional arrangements for policies on ageing. Neither does it have clear arrangements for ensuring how good quality research on ageing should be undertaken, managed and used to inform policymaking.
Pakistan urgently needs to: Develop clear and comprehensive institutional arrangements for the protection of human rights of older people at the Federal and the Provincial levels, including details of how research on older men and women and policy evaluation will be addressed by these institutions.
Make progress on approving and implementing a comprehensive policy framework on ageing in Pakistan; this can be the approval and implementation of the National Policy on Ageing.
Make progress on developing and approving specific legislation for the protection of rights of older persons at the Federal level and in all provinces, this can be achieved via the approval of Senior Citizens Bill and its implementation.
Make headway towards the introduction of comprehensive social protection floor for older persons in Pakistan.
Advance policies on ageing and older people in all domains of human rights, including social protection, health and social care, independence and personal security, participation and inclusion, health and care, and enabling age-friendly environments.
Conduct a nation-wide survey on rights of older men and women on regular basis, along the lines of similar specialised surveys in other countries.
The British Council would generate the knowledge that will help to identify problems faced by the elderly in Pakistan demanding further attention from the government and civil society and by older people themselves. A mixed method of research will be used for the project including secondary data analysis of a newly conducted quantitative survey on older people as well as conducting qualitative interviewing of older persons. Consultations with keys stakeholders will also be carried out. The project will aim for an impact at the Federal and the Provincial levels making recommendations towards developing stronger institutional arrangements to protect and promote the rights of Pakistan’s older persons.
The challenges facing Pakistan are echoed around the globe and it is hoped the British Council study will provide valuable lessons for countries with similar issues.
Dr Asghar Zaidi is Professor in International Social Policy at University of Southampton, and Visiting Professor at London School of Economics and Political Science. He is lead researcher for Moving from the Margins: Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Older Persons in Pakistan.