NAIROBI, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The rapidly growing population of older people in Africa should be included in programs aimed at advancing the continent's agenda for inclusive growth, cohesion and stability, campaigners said on Wednesday.
Prafulla Mishra, regional director of HelpAge International, said that African governments should design innovative policy interventions to ensure that senior citizens make positive contribution to the continents sustainability agenda.
"African governments must put sound policies in place to ensure older people make a meaningful contribution to sustainable development. This demographic has wealth of skills and experience needed to transform the continent," Mishra said in a statement.
He spoke in Nairobi ahead of the 2019 Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development underway in Morocco that has been organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Stakeholder Group on Ageing in Africa.
The forum urged African governments and bilateral partners to enact legislation that would end the exclusion of older persons in social, economic and social spheres.
Mishra hailed progress some African countries have made to lift the living standards of elderly people through universal pension, medical care and housing but urged targeted interventions to shield them from discrimination and abuse.
"Majority of older people in Africa continue to live in poverty and are denied the right to make decisions on personal finances, property and Medicare," said Mishra.
"The phenomenon can be reversed through investments in sustainable livelihoods for this demographic," he added.
African governments should domesticate global instruments that advocate for greater inclusion of senior citizens in programs that tackle poverty, social exclusion and stability.
Roseline Kihumba, international and regional policies coordinator at HelpAge International said that data driven interventions could provide answer to social and economic marginalization of elderly people in Africa.
"There is need for concrete data to help inform policy and legislative interventions required to promote welfare of Africa's elderly population," said Kihumba.
She said that accountability and good governance is key to ensuring the rights of older people in Africa are not violated.
