Why we should invest in older women and men: The experience of HelpAge International

Abstract

In this article, I explore the roles of older women and men in the developing world, and the barriers they encounter in the course of contributing to their families and communities. Older women face multiple disadvantages arising from gender-based prejudice, the heavy burden of manual and reproductive labour that they bear, and the longevity of females in comparison to males. Discrimination against women needs world-wide acknowledgement and action; yet, as is argued here, it is important to broaden our analysis of gender issues. Many men, too, face marginalisation, as the ageing process undermines their ability to provide for their families.