Elderly women suffer more due to social norms, says study

NEW DELHI: Saraswati Sharma (78) lives in a joint family in an upper middle class neighbourhood of west Delhi. But in reality she feels alone and isolated as no one, including her grandchildren, has the patience to listen to her. For 85-year-old Damyanti Devi it's a different struggle. She has been fighting for survival after her husband's death in an unauthorized colony in northeast Delhi.Her children have abandoned her and she is at the mercy of her neighbours.
These are a few heart wrenching experiences of elderly women that find expression in an Agewell Foundation study on 'Gender Discrimination among Older Women' — a special report on Delhi. As per Census 2011 there were approximately 6.5 lakh older women in Delhi, making up about 51% of the total elderly population.
Gender discrimination dominating the life of women from birth to death comes through in interviews of 5,000 elderly men and women surveyed for the report. Belonging from different social strata and areas, the elderly have expressed their sense of discrimination post 60 years of age with most feeling that deeply engrained gender biases make things worse for women.
A significant number of respondents held prevalent social and religious practices responsible for discrimination. On a scale of three, 740 elderly rated it as the topmost as they felt religious and social framework discourages gender equality and it continues into old age.
Breakdown of the joint family and popularity of nuclear family was seen as a prime factor by 704 elderly as the first and foremost cause for growing discrimination. Other reasons included fast-paced lifestyle of the young generation, financial status where elderly either have none or little income, longer life span, no ownership rights, restricted social life, none or less education and poor health condition.
The report also found that the elderly who felt ignored had solutions to bridge the gap and allow women an equal life. Nearly 37% felt that sensitization of younger generation was the top priority to deal with gender discrimination. The study found that the elderly also sought more legal provisions and laws to empower them. They also suggested the need for putting in place gender-based old age schemes and programmes.
Founder Chairman, Agewell Foundation, Himanshu Rath asserts the study draws the conclusion that in Delhi there is an urgent need for inclusive social security programmes for older women at the grassroot level. He also suggested utilizing tools like value-based education, awareness generation, research and advocacy to protect basic human rights of older persons.