Older people's rights around the world

Duration: 7 minutes and 30 seconds

Country: United Kingdom

Language: English

License: CC - Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike

Genre: Documentary

Producer: Partners of the HelpAge Global Network

Director: HelpAge International

Views: 53 (2 embedded)

Posted by: helpage on Feb 1, 2010

11 older people from 4 continents talk about their experiences of age discrimination. Please translate these important voices so they can be heard the world over. For more information go to: www.agedemandsaction.org

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The problem is that they say I am a witch
because of what I speak.
They say I am used to eating my children.
As soon as I say something,
they come and beat me.
This is one wound from when I was beaten.
They beat me,
I fell onto the ground
and I fainted.
People burnt my house.
They raided my house and destroyed my things.
That incident changed my life forever.
Why did they do this to you?
They did this because they suspected my wife of being a witch,
but she wasn't.
Another big problem for us
is electricity.
Electricity is very expensive, especially in rural areas.
Those who became pensioners when community farms still existed
have very low pensions.
Their...
basic living needs...
..are not covered by those pensions.
They cannot afford electricity.
And I don't believe it is right
for a person to work for 30, 40 years,
and when he reaches the time when he should collect his pension
he hears that there is nothing there for him.
Because of some unscrupulous employer,
who draws his money,
puts it to his own use,
and doesn't pay it into the government.
Therefore,
we the pensioners,
should not act as Police
to see that our pension is being paid into the government.
Yes, I feel having to be made to retire at 55
is an unfair treatment for me
because I know I still can work and be healthy and I am still healthy.
And I can still contribute a lot
to the welfare of the students in the classrooms.
I would still be active especially with teaching,
you are on your toes
and imparting the important knowledge that I have
in having to nurture the students in all they need
so they can be successful in life.
Well, what we make is enough for one day,
for helping our families at home, and that's it.
There is never enough.
Even if we work in the fields, it's only enough to feed ourselves.
There is nothing left to sell or to trade.
My relatives gave me 100 taka.
The doctors didn't care because I was old and poor.
They wanted money. They kicked me out.
I returned home.
Once by the Health Authority,
when my GP asked them to do a bone scan
because he thought I had osteoporosis.
They refused to do it because they don't do bone scans
for the over 80s
because they had nothing to compare it to.
Well, they never will if they don't start, will they?
But the doctor protested and so did I.
And they did an MRI scan instead which cost them a lot more money,
but gave a better result and I didn't have osteoporosis.
Well, I did, but nothing I can't cope with.
Since we wear "polleras", we are considered backward.
We don't get any attention.
If we go to any place,
they don't care about us.
I wish they could help us
with a bigger space to work better and grow more things.
Also, we need health insurance to take care of us.
I went to collect my pension.
I was asked to bring my photos.
I gave them four photos
and my election identity card.
I gave them my birth certificate.
Four months have passed.
They promised to give me the pension in a day or two.
When I went there after two days,
they said I was not eligible for a pension.
They said, "Pensions are not for snake charmers.
"They are for other people."
I'd like to call upon the government
to treat...
older people fairly
because...
if we were given the opportunity,
we could still contribute to society.

Older people's rights around the world

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