• Ageing populations
• Gender and ageing
• Pensions
• Population dynamics
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Ageing populations

In the past, the elderly in Malawi used to depend on the economic and social support of their children and the community. With increased socio-economic difficulties and changing family ties, children fail to look after their ageing parents. Similarly, communities are failing to provide for the needs of the elderly. The plight of the elderly is made worse with the direct and indirect effects of HIV and AIDS.

This paper attempts to present:

• global, regional and sub regional debate on ageing issues and social protection, including details of the Livingstone Call for Action on Social Protection
  
• current situation on social protection for the elderly and other vulnerable groups in Malawi
  
• examples and lessons on  social protection programmes from other countries.

The author argues that existing social protection for those employed in the public service only benefit few retired employees. Even for the majority in this group, the retirement pension benefits are not sufficient.  Those people employed in the informal sector have no form of social protection. Thus the majority of rural population has no form of social protection. There is therefore, a need for a non-contributory pension as a significant component of old age income security. The government has embarked on the process of drafting a National Social Protection Policy. The aim of the policy is to ensure a strategic coordination of new and existing social protection initiatives within a common institutional and funding framework.

The report looks at the effects of a pilot social cash transfer scheme initiated with financial and technical support from UNICEF in 2006. The project targets 10 percent of very poor households in the Mchinji District that are labour constrained without able-bodied members fit to work, but which have dependants.  Such households are generally headed by the elderly (often women) who look after the orphaned and vulnerable children. Results showed About 80 percent of the child beneficiaries are orphans.

The author argues that general lessons on social protection pensions show that these programmes are feasible and affordable. The programmes have positive impact on the elderly, other vulnerable groups and society as a whole.  The recommendations that emerge from this paper include the following:

• the government of Malawi, public and private sector, as well as civil society organisations need to work together to create a conducive environment that encourages the older people to continue making contribution to the country’s socioeconomic development
  
• organisations need to incorporate and mainstream older people’s issues into the development process
  
• the government should respond to the Livingstone Call for Action on Social Protection and cash transfer
  
• In view of the policies under preparation on ageing and social protection, the government needs to strengthen capacity of those to be involved in the implementation and follow-up on the policies after adoption. Furthermore, institutional mechanisms for implementation of the polices should be strengthened. Adequate resources should be allocated in the national budget for the policies
  
• the government should consider the provision of non-contributory pension as a significant component of old age income security
  
• the government, depending on the outcome of pilot cash transfer project should consider expanding cash transfer to cover the whole country
  
• development partners need to continue supporting Malawi, in its efforts to address the plight of vulnerable groups, including the older persons
  
• as the support from development partners is not for ever, the government has to ensure sustainability of programmes and projects initially supported by development partners

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