More Elderly Women in India

A UN report suggests that India will have more women in its population above 60 years of age.

In a country where female infanticide and foeticide are common phenomena, a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report suggests that India will have more women in its population above 60 years of age. The reasons for this are increased life expectancy and prolonged longevity of women. Also, the report says that women tend to outlive men. In 2012, for every 100 women aged 60, there were 84 men, and the proportion of women rises further with age. Matthew Cherian, chief executive of UNFPA, India, says, “Currently the population of elderly people in India is 100 million, of which 22 million are widows, and India will have more widows and people living beyond 100 years by 2050.” To control this, Cherian says, the Government needs to formulate policies that favour women and work on enhancing pension and social security because patriarchy in society will create only more problems for them. Both elderly men and women face discrimination, but the vulnerability of an elder woman is comparatively much more, the report says.

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Radhika Halder