HelpAge International: catering for an aging world

March 8th is International Women's Day and "HelpAge International" is calling for urgent action to help millions of older women who are the invisible backbone of communities, families and food production.

HelpAge International is the only global organisation with a singular focus on providing assistance to and advocating for disadvantaged older people.

It has been selected to receive the 2012 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize of $1.5 million, for its work in alleviating human suffering.

The foundation announced it had been chosen to receive the award on International Women's Day, highlighting and in recognition of the invisible role of older women in maintaining the welfare of families, communities and food production across the developing world.

Linda Bordoni spoke to Richard Blewitt, chief executive officer of HelpAge International who explained that our world is continuing to age and that we must prepare for this monumental demographic shift.

One of the missions of HelpAge, he explained, is to raise awareness as to the importance of recognising and supporting older people so they can continue to be contributing and productive members of society.

Blewitt also explains that HelpAge is both an advocacy and development organisation and works in different areas providing emergency relief work, health care, legal advice and financial support for older people.

Blewitt points out that as the world population ages, women make up the majority of older people around the world. Nearly two thirds of those over the age of 80 are women.

He says that many older women in developing countries are not only the economic providers for families, but frequently they are the sole caregivers of AIDS orphaned grandchildren.

In Kenya alone, there are 1.1 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS; in a country where more than half of those over aged 60 already live in absolute poverty.

On International Women's Day (and every other day of the year of course), he says, HelpAge wants older women farmers to get the help they deserve, including: targeted agricultural subsidies, a basic form of pension for agricultural workers and increased skill sharing with children to protect future generations.

Blewitt says it is a fundamental challenge for society to make sure that all parts of the community can actually move ahead and succeed in their lives: We call it the longevity dividend: the countries that are going to succeed for tomorrow are the ones that actually value age and can see older people as relevant economic stakeholders, political stakeholders and social stakeholders. Those that marginalize them - Blewitt says - are going to be the societies of yesterday


listen to the interview...