Senior citizen social security is still in its infancy. Analyze critically?
Elderly persons from marginalized communities, including tribal and religious minorities, often face compounded challenges that affect their access to welfare schemes and services. Here's an examination of their situation and an assessment of government efforts to ensure equitable access: SituationRead more
Elderly persons from marginalized communities, including tribal and religious minorities, often face compounded challenges that affect their access to welfare schemes and services. Here’s an examination of their situation and an assessment of government efforts to ensure equitable access:
Situation of Elderly Persons from Marginalized Communities:
Social Exclusion and Marginalization:
Limited Social Support: Elderly individuals from marginalized communities may experience social isolation due to language barriers, cultural differences, and discrimination.
Lack of Family Support: In some cases, elderly persons may not receive adequate support from their families due to economic constraints or migration of younger generations to urban areas.
Healthcare Access:
Barriers to Healthcare: Access to healthcare services can be limited due to geographic remoteness, lack of transportation, and inadequate healthcare facilities in tribal and remote areas.
Health Disparities: Elderly individuals from marginalized communities often face higher rates of chronic illnesses, malnutrition, and mental health issues compared to the general population.
Economic Challenges:
Limited Economic Opportunities: Many elderly persons from marginalized communities rely on precarious livelihoods such as subsistence farming or informal labor, which do not provide adequate financial security in old age.
Pension and Social Security: Access to pension schemes and social security benefits may be limited or non-existent for elderly individuals who lack proper documentation or are unaware of their entitlements.
Cultural and Gender Norms:
Gender Inequality: Elderly women from marginalized communities, in particular, may face greater vulnerabilities due to intersecting factors of age, gender, and socio-economic status.
Traditional Practices: Cultural norms and practices within marginalized communities may influence caregiving roles and access to resources, impacting the well-being of elderly individuals.
Government Efforts to Ensure Equitable Access:
Social Welfare Schemes:
Targeted Programs: Governments have initiated targeted welfare schemes aimed at providing financial assistance, healthcare support, and social security benefits to elderly persons from marginalized communities.
Inclusive Policies: Efforts are made to include provisions that cater specifically to the needs of marginalized elderly individuals, such as special pension schemes and healthcare subsidies.
Healthcare Initiatives:
Health Camps and Mobile Clinics: Governments organize health camps and mobile healthcare units to reach elderly individuals in remote and tribal areas, providing essential medical services and screenings.
Training of Healthcare Workers: Training programs are implemented to educate healthcare providers on cultural sensitivity and the unique health challenges faced by elderly persons from marginalized communities.
Education and Awareness:
Information Campaigns: Government campaigns raise awareness among elderly individuals and their families about available welfare schemes, entitlements, and how to access services.
Community Engagement: Collaborative efforts with community leaders and local organizations help disseminate information and encourage participation in government programs.
Legal and Policy Frameworks:
Legal Protections: Governments enact and enforce laws that protect the rights of elderly persons, including those from marginalized communities, against discrimination, abuse, and neglect.
Policy Review and Adaptation: Regular review and adaptation of policies ensure that they remain responsive to the evolving needs and challenges faced by elderly individuals in marginalized communities.
Challenges and Areas for Improvement:
Resource Allocation: Limited funding and resources allocated to welfare programs and healthcare infrastructure in remote and tribal areas pose challenges in providing consistent and quality services.
Cultural Sensitivity: Ensuring that government initiatives respect and incorporate cultural norms and practices of marginalized communities is crucial for effective implementation and acceptance.
Capacity Building: Strengthening the capacity of local administrations, healthcare providers, and community organizations to effectively deliver and monitor welfare services is essential for sustainable impact.
Conclusion:
Elderly persons from marginalized communities, such as tribal and religious minorities, face significant challenges related to social exclusion, healthcare access, economic security, and cultural norms. Government efforts to ensure their equitable access to welfare schemes and services play a vital role in addressing these disparities. By implementing targeted programs, enhancing healthcare infrastructure, promoting awareness, and respecting cultural sensitivities, governments can improve the quality of life for elderly individuals in marginalized communities and uphold their rights to dignity and well-being in their later years.
As per the report “Caring for Our Elders” by UNFPA India’s old age population( above 60) would grow from 8.6% in 2011 to 19% ( around 300 million) by 2050. This means India has to ensure healthy ageing with policy measures during this current beneficial period of demographic dividend. Social securitRead more
As per the report “Caring for Our Elders” by UNFPA India’s old age population( above 60) would grow from 8.6% in 2011 to 19% ( around 300 million) by 2050. This means India has to ensure healthy ageing with policy measures during this current beneficial period of demographic dividend. Social security could be said as the legislative or executive measure to support the vulnerable sections of society and is enshrined in Indian Directive Principles of State policy. Article 41 explicitly mentions the need to provide public assistance to the old age. Various initiatives have been taken to provide social security to the Indian senior citizens especially during this period of more Nuclear family and rural-Urban migration.
Major Schemes For Senior Citizens
Many of these schemes have improved the social perception about the need for senior citizen welfare. Also, schemes like IPOP have created an integrated chain of old-age care homes and NGO groupings across India. Creation of SCWF has allowed the utilization of unclaimed deposits of Public Provident Fund for senior citizens welfare. But despite these many schemes the social security of senior citizens in India is well below what’s needed and very much in the nascent stage.
Social Security Of Senior Citizens In Nascent Stage
A recent survey by Agewell Research and Advocacy Centre for the United Nations showed that around 51% of respondents were not satisfied with the overall status of social security schemes for the elderly in India. Around 53% of the elderly find it difficult in utilizing the social security schemes and 79% found these are not sufficient to meet their basic needs, which shows the amateur approach of addressing the old age population.
There needs to be a re-modelling of existing schemes and laws. Old age welfare by social security should not be accorded a peripheral position in the governance sphere and a Centre-state continuous discussion forum is needed. Recent amendments to Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is a welcome initiative.
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