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A 2017 study by the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) found that the physical, emotional, psychological and socio-economic support required by older people had declined, leaving older women in a vulnerable position.
Nalini Singh, executive director of the Philippine Women’s Rights Movement, stressed this during a World Population Day seminar held at the University of the South Pacific last week.
She said women were still living in poverty after retirement age, lacking financial security and autonomy.
“It’s vital that more research is done on this,” Ms Singh said.
“The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) provides a policy framework that focuses on the active participation of older persons in society.”
She said Fiji ratified MIPAA in 2002 but our compliance and enforcement was not good.
“I strongly oppose solving problems in isolation, so I referred to the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD PoA) in this dialogue, where world leaders agreed to place individual rights and dignity at the heart of sustainable development.
“Fiji is one of the signatories. This global commitment comes at a time when there are concerns about the rapid growth of the global population and world leaders need some kind of action plan to set the standard for people-centred development.
“Thirty years after the agreement was adopted, its implementation has been poor globally, in the Pacific and in Fiji.”
Ms. Singh said that the world is now facing new demographic trends, emerging crises and threats, and the 30-year review of the commitments made at the International Conference on Population and Population is timely, and so is this dialogue.
“I would say, though, that we could have been having this conversation earlier and more often.
The World Population Report 2024 shows that in 69 countries, one in four women cannot make their own healthcare decisions, negotiate sex with their husbands or partners, or choose to use contraception.
“The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) found that child marriage is widespread and is hindering girls’ education and potential. This is because early sexual activity in children leads to unwanted pregnancies among adolescents.
“Reporting on SRHR indicators is poor in the country and Fiji is no exception.” || Older women are vulnerable || Older women are vulnerable
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