Older men and women throughout Africa make vital contributions to their families and communities. Across the continent, 64 per cent of men over 60 years of age continue to work across the formal and informal sectors. Older women tend to live
longer than older men, with a life expectancy at 60 of a further 17 years. They continue their domestic and subsistence farming roles.

Increasing numbers of older women whose adult children have migrated in search of work or have died as a result of HIV and AIDS are bringing up grandchildren too. Despite this indispensable contribution, many older people in Africa continue to experience deepening poverty, discrimination, violence and abuse, and are unable to access entitlements that are theirs by
right. Many older people live in rural areas, where there are fewer services.

They experience economic exclusion, and are often denied employment and access to insurance or credit schemes. They also encounter social exclusion due to age discrimination and changing roles and practices within the family. Literacy rates among older people – especially older women  remain low, and are often lower than for the population as a whole, this group need our help too.