New Ministry Dealing with Older People is Momentous and Opportune
Tuesday 15 December 2015, Dar es Salaam
The announcement of the new Cabinet of Ministers was a momentous occasion for advocates on the rights of older men and women in Tanzania. For the first time in the country’s history older people will have a specific Ministry devoted to their welfare. According to announcements made by the Government, older people in Tanzania will now be under the new Ministry that is dealing with Health, Social Development, Gender, Older People and Children. The explicit reference to Older People indeed reflects the fact that ageing as an agenda is being given a higher priority in the incoming Government.
Equally well, the inclusion of ageing is also a testament to the efforts of advocates for ageing in Tanzania. According to the 2015 Global AgeWatch Index the number of older people is set to grow exponentially in the coming years, with the bulk of this growth taking place in developing countries such as Tanzania. Measures to prepare for this growth need to be taken now and assigning a responsible Ministry is a step in the right direction.
Opportunely, having a specific ministry will better ensure that the Government is better placed to appreciate and keep up with the changing preferences and needs of Older People. It also offers another way to follow-up on all the commitments made to promote their access to social pension, affordable and appropriate healthcare, to mention a few from among the myriad demands they have been advancing over the years.
This also comes soon after the world leaders agreed the new Sustainable Development Goals, promising to leave no one behind and to be for all people of all ages. “In deed no development strategies can be achieved if older men and women who constitute 5% of the total population are not proactively recognised in planning and budgeting and are not enjoying effective public services’’ says, Ms. Amleset Tewodros, Country Director for HelpAge International.
HelpAge International recognises this positive step and congratulates the Government for its continued efforts and looks forward to more fruitful engagements which bear results. These results include legislating the national policy on ageing so that there is a binding legal framework to support implementation of policies and strategies related to ageing that will be under the Ministry of Health, Social Development, Gender, Older People and Children.
Contact: Eric Ngilangwa, Communications Officer, eric.ngilangwa@helpage.org Tel +255 22 2700169, Cel +255 657 644292 About HelpAge International HelpAge International helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. Our work is strengthened through our global network of like-minded organisations – the only one of its kind in the world.
Location: 134 Migombani Street
Regent Estate Mikocheni
Mailing: P.O.BOX 9846,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: +255(0)22 2700169, +255(0)22 2774796
Fax: +255(0)22 2775894
Email: tanzania.office@helpage.org
Website: www.helpage.org