The world will have 2.1 billion people over 60 years old by 2050

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 07:15 (GMT+7)

(CPV) - The World Population Fund (UNFPA) said that the number of people aged 60 and over worldwide is forecast to double and reach 2.1 billion by 2050.

The UNFPA report, released recently, indicates that the increase in the number and proportion of older people will be evident in all regions of the world; while noting that less developed regions will see a slightly higher increase in the proportion of older people than other regions. "In more developed regions, the proportion of older people will increase from 26% in 2022 to 34% in 2050, while in less developed regions, it will increase from 11.5% to 20% over the corresponding period," the report states.

Among countries, India’s elderly population is expected to double by 2050 and surpass the number of children in the country. Specifically, the number of people over 60 in India will increase from 149 million in 2022 to 347 million in 2050. By 2046, the number of elderly people in India will surpass the number of children under 14, while the proportion of the population aged 15-59 will decline. This South Asian country is currently the most populous country in the world and currently has the highest population under 35 (65% of the population).

Projections from the UN agency show that while India’s total population will grow by 18% between 2022 and 2050, the country’s elderly population will increase by 134% and those aged 80 and above will increase by 279% over the same period. “By 2050, one in five people in India will be elderly,” UNFPA said.

UNFPA research also shows that the number of older women relative to the number of older men will increase gradually as age increases from 60 to 80 years and therefore, policies and programmes must focus specifically on the special needs of these older women.

Women in rural India will also be more affected than those living in urban areas as they face isolation, poor transport that makes it difficult to move from place to place, unstable incomes and lack of proper healthcare, the study said.

UNFPA cites a study that found that 51% of men aged 60 and above in India are still working. However, the rate is only 22% for women. More elderly people in rural areas (40%) work than in urban areas (25.6%). This makes a segment of the elderly increasingly economically dependent due to the lack of income and rising medical costs. The fact that the elderly population does not participate in the formal economy also limits their right to receive a fixed pension, increasing economic instability./.

PG (according to CNBC, The National)

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