Around the world, women are more likely than men to live in poverty throughout their lives, to be disempowered socially and economically, and have their rights denied.
Increasingly, governments are moving towards universal non-contributory social pensions, and there is growing evidence that these are an effective and affordable solution, especially in countries with high levels of poverty and informal employment.
They enhance women’s economic autonomy, strengthen their voice and agency, and can be an effective way of recognising the value of unpaid work.
Kenya has been a pioneer in developing social pensions.
In 2018, President Kenyatta announced the roll-out of a universal cash transfer for all 833,000 Kenyan citizens aged 70 years and above, fully funded by the government with an annual allocation of $60 million.
A digital citizen registry was set up to ensure all over-70s are registered and have access to pay points within 20 km of their homes.
“We have long advocated for a universal pension, as previous means-tested schemes did not protect the most vulnerable older women. It has been a huge commitment to implement this scheme, and we see it as a vital investment to enable all citizens to live longer, healthier lives now and in future,” Cecilia Mbaka, Head of the National Social Protection Secretariat in Kenya’s State Department of Social Protection, and a Trustee of HelpAge International said on Friday in a statement.
In 2020, the global population aged over 60 will reach one billion, and is projected to double again by 2050.
Growth is most rapid in low- and middle-income countries, with far-reaching implications that governments are only now beginning to address.