Gender, age, and exclusion: a challenge to community organisations in Lima, Peru.

PIP: This article examines the role of two successful grassroots women's organizations in empowering women in old age in Lima, Peru. These organizations include Comedores Populares (soup kitchens) and the Vaso de Leche (glass of milk) Program. The primary goal of both groups is poverty alleviation, specifically through improved nutrition. Through them, women have lobbied on issues such as provision of education and health services, and campaigned against the guerrilla insurgency of the 1980s and the early 1990s. However, evidence from three low-income settlements on the outskirts of Lima implied that no long-term support is available from these organizations to promote the welfare of elderly people. Also, the contribution that elderly members of households make to the work of the organizations is invisible and undervalued. Thus, these findings clearly suggest that even the most successful New Social Movements in Lima are also passive members of society in need of charity.^ieng

[The policies of structural adjustment and population policies and their effect on demographic aging]. / Las politicas de ajuste estructural y las politicas de poblacion con referencia a los procesos de envejecimiento.

PIP: This work argues that policies derived from the structural adjustment programs imposed upon Mexico by international financial institutions will have devastating effects on the living conditions of the elderly. The spread of poverty and the disappearance of social security systems based on the principal of generational solidarity affect ever larger proportions of the aged. Lack of pensions and of employment opportunities sentence many to misery in their last years. Because of demographic aging resulting from reduced fertility and mortality levels, the elderly will comprise an increasing share of the population. The change is particularly significant for women, who most often care for the elderly and whose greater survival at a time of smaller families will lead many to live alone in poverty. Social security reforms produced by the adjustment leave increasing proportions of women unprotected, despite their earlier economic activity. It is evident that the differential effects of aging on men and women are another reflection of gender inequity, exacerbated by adjustment policies. Public actions to confront the problems of older adults should be part of a population policy contained within an integrated social policy. It remains to be seen whether a model featuring reduced state action will be capable of explicit policies and concrete programs to protect the elderly.^ieng

[The next step for population policies]. / La siguiente etapa de las politicas de poblacion.

PIP: In modern and postmodern societies, age has been transformed into a symbol of isolation, sadness, poverty, physical and mental inactivity, and economic and emotional burden for families, societies, and nations. Humanity has struggled to postpone death through medical advances and greater life expectancy. Declines in mortality and fertility lead inexorably to demographic aging. In Mexico, as in many other societies, poverty is concentrated at the beginning and end of life. While it has undeniably been an achievement to add years to life, social and cultural changes in response to demographic aging and greater life expectancy have not occurred. The additional years have not been accompanied by social actions that provide the elderly with a dignified and tranquil life free from want. In 1965, Mexico's population over 65 years of age was 1.7 million, accounting for 4.6% of the population, life expectancy was 57.9 years, and the total fertility rate was 6.9. In 1995, 4.4% of the population was over 65 years of age and the total fertility rate was 2.8. By 2030, a projected 17 million, or 13.1%, will be over 65 years old. The future demographic profile is the result of societal desires for better health, longer life, and fewer children living in better circumstances. The great challenge of the next century will be to create strategies, policies, and programs to attend to population aging. Collective awareness must be created of the material and other needs of the elderly, and the sociopolitical system must adapt in response.^ieng

[The importance of children for the elderly and changes in reproductive behavior (a study of three rural communities in Mexico)]. / Importancia de los hijos en la vejez y cambios en el comportamiento reproductivo (estudio en tres comunidades rurales de Mexico).

"This study analyzes the importance of children in the care of elderly populations in rural communities [in Mexico].... In particular, the perception of elders about the value of their children is analyzed, especially the role children play in their economic contribution to the household or their instrumental value to it at different stages of their lives.... With respect [to] the condition in which children support their parents in their old age the economic assistance given was studied too. Finally, the preference regarding family size of those 60 years or older [is] given, as well as the view points of women on the need to control fertility and reduce family size. Three different types of cost are studied: the economic cost of supporting and caring for children, the emotional cost of their upbringing and the health cost of multiple pregnancies and births." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

[Demographic aging and social security. The insufficiency of old age pensions]. / Envejecimiento demografico y seguridad social. La insuficiencia de las pensiones por vejez.

PIP: The demographic transition is leading to demographic aging in Mexico, as lower fertility and greater life expectancy combine to produce absolute and percentage increases in the elderly population. Concern is growing about satisfying the material needs of the elderly population. Only a few developed countries are able to furnish adequate pensions to their retired workers through social security systems. In Mexico, class inequity is a greater determinant of the level of pension coverage than is generational solidarity. Mexico's 1990 census showed that the population of 81,250,000 was comprised of 24,517,000 economically active and 56,733,000 inactive persons. Of the 24,517,000 economically active, 7,282,000 mostly lower level employees and laborers were affiliated only with the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS). 2,308,000 were covered by the IMSS and one of the complementary pension systems sponsored by the largest and most organized private companies. 2,629,000 were entitled to pensions through public sector employment and 584,000 through quasipublic employment. The remaining 11,571,000 had no rights to a pension. In other words, 47% of the labor force was not covered by any retirement pension system. 375,000 of the 5,007,000 persons over age 60 in the economically inactive population had some sort of pension from the IMSS. In 1990, 92% received the minimum pension, equivalent to 70% of the minimum salary. 229,000 had an IMSS pension and a complementary private pension. 196,000 pensioners in the public sector received an average pension of 1.5 times the minimum salary. 66,000 retired workers in quasipublic enterprises received pensions with automatic adjustments for inflation that frequently equaled 20 times the minimum salary. The total number of recipients of pensions of all types was 888,000,leaving 4,119,000 persons over 60 with no pension. Because of the deficiencies of the social security system, families must continue to be the institution that aids the elderly.^ieng

[The aging of the Uruguayan population in the past 30 years: from "normal" aging to "perverse" aging]. / El envejecimiento de la poblacion Uruguaya treinta anos despues: del envejecimiento "normal" al envejecimiento "perverso".

PIP: Trends in aging in Uruguay over the past 30 years are analyzed, with a focus on the impact of economic, social, and political factors. The extent to which declining birth rates and increased immigration have contributed to the extensive changes in age distribution is considered. Regional and sex differentials are noted, and possible means of supporting an increasingly aging population are suggested. Data are from the censuses of 1963, 1975, and 1985.^ieng

[Aging in Chile]. / Altern in Chile.

First some detailed demographic data concerning the elderly population in Chile are presented. Then their extremely deficient social and economic life conditions and the negative image of old age are described. The informal and formal systems of social security for the aged and their severe deficiencies are also reported upon. Finally, some institutions for the elderly are presented.

[The aging of the population in Latin America: demographic trends and the socioeconomic situation]. / Envejecimiento de la poblacion en America Latina: tendencias demograficas y situacion socioeconomica

"The paper analyzes the demographic aspects of the aging of the population in Latin America. Aging is still incipient in the great majority of countries of the region, but it will become generalized and will be accentuated especially after the year 2000. The dependency relationship will continue to decrease until higher levels of aging are reached; the proportion of the aged in the potentially dependent population will increase and the relationship between the population from 15 to 59 years of age and over 60 will decrease. "At present, the proportion of single women [over 60] is much higher than that of single men. From the information on participation in the labour force and the access that the aged have to income or pension benefits, the paper also shows that most of the aged that continue to work do so because they require an income for subsistence. "The paper finally includes some conclusions on the causes and consequences of the aging of the population and the actions that would be necessary to broaden knowledge for the formulation of policies." (summary in ENG)