Ensuring rights of the elderly: The present scenario

Ageing is inevitable for all living beings, including humans. A newly-born child gradually reaches the age where he or she is called 'elderly'. He/she learns many things all the way through and adapts to different viewpoints. Thus an elderly becomes a virtual repository of profound knowledge. That is why in many countries, the elderly are highly respected and provided different services so that they can live with dignity in their societies. But sadly, in our country, they are seen as a 'burden'. It is important that the elderly people are considered an asset.
WHO IS AN ELDERLY? There is no universally accepted definition of 'elderly'. Generally, a person nearing or surpassing the average life span of a human being is being considered 'elderly'. There is no exact definition of the elderly because its meaning would vary from society to society. Someone is considered elderly due to changes in his role in life. Someone is said to be elderly after living a certain number of years in life and beginning to do less of different works or upon reaching the retirement age.
According to Mark Gorman, "The ageing process is, of course, a biological reality which has its own dynamics, largely beyond human control. In the developed world, chronological time plays a paramount role. The age of 60 or 65, roughly equivalent to retirement ages in most developed countries, is said to be the beginning of old age. In many parts of the developing world, chronological time has little or no importance in the meaning of old age. Other socially-constructed meanings of age are more significant such as the roles assigned to older people. In some cases, it is the loss of roles accompanying physical decline which is significant in defining old age. Thus, in contrast to the chronological milestones which mark life stages in the developed world, old age in many developing countries is seen to begin at a point when active contribution is no longer possible [WHO report, http://www.who.int/healthinfo/survey/ageingdefnolder/en/).
Commonly, everybody is declared 'elderly' when they reach the ages of 65-70. 'Elderly' has been defined as a chronological age of 65 years old or older, while those from 65 through 74 years old are referred to as 'early elderly' and those over 75?years old as 'late elderly.' Such definition, however, may change if the definition is based on all aspects of social, cultural and medical sciences.
BANGLADESH SCENARIO: In Bangladesh, statistical data shows that from 1979 to 2001, the number of aged population has increased from 1.98 million to 6.05 million. At present, the number of older persons is 10 million which represents 7.0 per cent of the total population (Population Census 2011). The growth rate of the elderly population also increased from 1.6 per cent in 1950-1955 to 2.9 per cent in 2000-2005 and would increase to 3.1 per cent by 2045-2050. When the total growth rate was 2.1 per cent in 2000-2005, it would come down to 0.7 per cent by 2045-2050 (World Population Ageing 1950-2050). Also life expectancy has increased from 36.6 years in 1950 to 61 years in 2000; at present, it is about 68 years (Population Census 2011). The projected number of older people in 2015, 2025 and 2050 are 12.05 million (11 per cent), 17.62 million (18 per cent) and 43.02 million (20 per cent) respectively. A figure has been shown below on the 'number of people aged 60 or over: World, developed and developing countries, 1950-2050". (http://www. unfpa.org/pds/ageing.html)

So, we can see a rapid increase of the elderly in our country. With the improvement of medical science, in one hand, the life expectancy of people is increasing and on the other, child mortality rate is decreasing and thus the number of aged people has been increasing.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES: Recently on November 17, 2013, the Bangladesh government has approved the draft 'National Policy on Elderly People' on condition that the law ministry will set the definition of old persons and specify provisions for ensuring facilities for the senior citizens. The cabinet approved the draft of the policy. It will be sent to the law ministry for vetting. Then the social welfare ministry will make the national policy public.  Elderly people will have ID cards, health cards, reserved seats in transports according to the policy. Old homes will be established and the government will also take initiatives to attract the private sector in this regard.
To support the elderly, the Ministry of Social Welfare provides old-age allowance to the poor and vulnerable elderly since 1997. According to that policy, they are given Tk 300 per month. The fund was Tk 125 million in 1997-98 fiscal year which is now Tk 8,910 million in 2011-12 fiscal year.
But the support that government provides for the elderly is not sufficient.
In our country elderly people face other problems also.  These are:
(i) Though the policy has been approved to address people of 60 years and above  as 'senior citizens', still there are so many things to complete. The draft has been approved only. In a country like Bangladesh, after approving any draft of policy, it takes so many years to make that policy operative. What will be the interim actions in between these periods, has not been spelt out.
(ii) The government allocated Tk 8.91 billion in 2011-2012 fiscal year. The total beneficiary of this is 2.475 million. Beneficiaries are getting Tk 300 monthly per head which is payable in every 3 months. But the amount of allowance and the number of beneficiaries have not been increased in last three years.
The year-wise statistics of the distribution of the old age allowance since inception is given below:
(iii) There is another problem with the government's old-age allowance policy. One of the provisions of disqualifications is that the older persons who are over 65 years but are day-labourer or beggar or vagrant, are not provided this support. And even there is no special provision for them.  But these people are stuck up in such a position because of either extreme poverty or negligence from the family members. It is clear that the government is trying to treat these people as invisible.  

(iv) Except the old age allowance, there are no other schemes at the government level.
(v) Elderly people in Bangladesh mostly suffer from various complicated diseases and their number is increasing day by day but the services provided through government hospitals are inadequate compared to their needs. Furthermore, the elderly people need special kind of treatment (it is known as 'Geriatrics' in medical science) which is not available in our country and we cannot even see any initiative from the government to promote this treatment.
Again, in the plan and policies of the government's health sector, health issue of the elderly is absent.
(vi)    During different natural disasters, the elderly are badly affected. But there are no special policies for them regarding the issue.
(vii)    In the Millennium Development Goal 2015, the issues of elderly have not been included.
(viii)    There is no particular department which can investigate violation of elderly people's rights.
(ix)    There are no separate special ticket counters for the elderly in bus/train stations, no special arrangements in buses or trains or any other public transports.
RECOMMENDATIONS:  There are some policy recommendations regarding to this issue. These are as follows:
(i)    The government should include all vulnerable elderly people under its old-age allowance policy.
(ii)    The amount of old-age allowance is insufficient enough to adjust with the increasing inflation. It should be increased to Tk 1,000 from the present Tk 300.
(iii)     It is also needed to increase awareness about the ageing issue so that everyone becomes conscious about the rights of the elderly.
(iv) The government can encourage the senior citizens in involving them in such activities where they can easily work and earn as well as their dignity will be ensured by themselves. This is called active ageing.
(v) It is also important to go for more effective data collection on ageing issue.
(vi) Elderly people should be engaged in decision-making.
(vii)    It is the government's right to ensure health rights and responds to the health needs of the senior citizens.
Elderly people suffer very badly in their age. In most of their families, they are ignored. On the other hand, development policies or health policies related to elderly people cannot be seen any where. But our Constitution 19(1) says that "the State shall endeavour to ensure equality of opportunity to all citizens."
So, to ensure equality of opportunities, the government should take necessary measures. This must be the same for all ages, whether s/he is 16 or 60. But a 60- year old man/ woman may not have the same ability as of 16. In that case, to provide the same kind of benefits from the state, the government has the obligation to provide him/her necessary support. On the other hand, we all including the government have to be supportive to make an elderly-friendly environment in our country.

The writer is a post-graduate student in the International Relations Department, University of Dhaka. sumaiya.eva@gmail.com