As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrates its 60th birthday today, millions of older people worldwide are still being denied the basic rights and freedoms it provides.

HelpAge International marks the day by highlighting three powerful stories of older people around the globe who are still fighting for their rights.

Article 22 – Right to social security

The absence of non-contributory pensions in more than 120 countries worldwide means that many poor older people in countries like Peru are being denied their right to social security. Manuela, aged 64, is a pig farmer. Since her husband had to stop work as a taxi driver due to ill health, she has been struggling to survive.

"Now, the only income we have is what we make from selling the pigs for about 50 soles (approx £10) each. We can never tell how many pigs we will sell in a month. With such insecure income it’s impossible to cover our monthly bills and we never have enough food to eat. I don’t know if they will eventually take our house away. I lie awake at night worrying what will happen if my husband and I get sick, because we can’t afford medicine or doctor’s bills.

"If I had some sort of regular income, like a pension, I would use it to buy better food for us to try and keep us healthy and I could start a small business.”

Article 23 – Right to just and favourable conditions of work

Many older people are forced to continue working in old age to support themselves and their families, often in conditions that are detrimental to their health. In Bangladesh, Mohammad, aged 73, spends each day crouching by the roadside, breaking up bricks with a small hammer. On average he earns just 115 taka (£1.15) per day.

"I start each day at 8am and work until 5pm. Sometimes I feel sick and I have to stop working earlier. I have breathing problems, and the particles from the brick breaking make them worse. When the days are colder it also gets worse. I have some knee problems but cannot get treatment because I can’t afford it. So sometimes I come to work withstanding all of these pains. And sometimes I cannot work because of them. If I am sick and I cannot work, the job is given to someone else and I have to look for work elsewhere. My wife says to me: ‘Are you sure you can do this work?’ But I have to.”

Article 25 – Right to security in widowhood

In Tanzania and Mozambique, widows are often denied the right to inherit property and some face violence, intimidation and even death as a result of accusations of witchcraft.

Shiduki, aged 71, from Tanzania tells her story:

"After my husband died, his relatives started to complain that I was still living in the house.  So I left the property - I had no choice because it was decided like that.  I lived alone and it was very difficult.  My relationship with the community was very bad.  People despised me for being useless. 

"I was threatened several times and I used to receive letters accusing me of being a witch.  The letters said: “You take your last meal today.  You won’t survive the night.  You will be killed because you are a witch. I know at least 14 women who were threatened here. Most were widows or older women.”

It is estimated that as many as 1,000 witchcraft-related killings occur in Tanzania each year.

Richard Blewitt, Chief Executive of HelpAge International, says:

"These stories illustrate the extent to which, 60 years after the Declaration came into being, older people remain marginalised by society and excluded from enjoying the basic human rights we take for granted.

"Yet there is another side to the story. With HelpAge International’s support, older people are coming together to champion their rights and make their voices heard. In Tanzania and Mozambique, they are being trained as paralegals in communities affected by witchcraft-related violence, to raise awareness of older women’s rights and provide legal advice. In Bangladesh, Peru and many other countries, older people’s associations are forming to lobby their governments for greater access to universal pensions, so that they can live with dignity and security in old age.  

"Older people offer huge potential to build better families and communities. We hope that governments across the world will use this day to reflect on the rights they afford to their older citizens and take action now to ensure these rights are realised. This will benefit not only older people, but society as a whole.”

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Notes to Editors

1. HelpAge International helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. www.helpage.org