SDGs mainstreaming for enhanced older persons' welfare -Insights from Eswatini and Zimbabwe

Although the entire world is facing a demographic revolution of population ageing, this is occurring at a very fast pace in the Southern Africa region (Patel, 2015) where Eswatini and Zimbabwe are located. The population of older people (age 60+) in Southern African countries is projected to almost triple from around 11 million in 2023 to over 29 million people by 2050. As such, these countries are experiencing and will continue to witness an irreversible increase in the population of older persons. This makes the role of social work methods of interventions critical. The shift in the age distribution makes issues to do with the care and support of older persons increasingly important. Of grave concern, in the case of Eswatini and Zimbabwe, is that this demographic shift is yet to be matched with the resources, skills and government commitment to address its implications for older persons' health and wellbeing.

Ageism, limited healthcare and social services access, depleted assets, abuse and neglect (Zelalem & Kotecho, 2020), food insecurity (Kasiram & Holscher, 2015) and lack of, [or] poor housing (Dhemba, 2022) as well as environmental impacts are amongst the key drivers of older persons poverty. Therefore, increased representation of older persons in the population is a demographic imperative demanding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets mainstreaming for the optimising older persons quality of life and wellbeing

Given their ethical responsibility to intervene in the lives of vulnerable people and belief in human rights and social justice (Wamara & Carvalho, 2022) practice with older persons is one of the important areas of social work practice and intervention in many countries including Eswatini and Zimbabwe. This is corroborated by Lombard & Viviers (2022) who contend that the fundamentals of social work lie in humanity's social and evolutionary instinct to protect the most vulnerable, inclusive of older persons. In fact, this also resonates with the principles of social justice, human rights and respect for diversity, which underpin the social work profession (International Federation of Social Workers- IFSW, 2022). Accordingly, the upsurge in the population of people 60 years and older implies social workers should be robustly and innovatively engaging in methods of interventions to address the factors that exacerbate with older persons' vulnerability.

Replacing the year 2015 targeted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the internationally agreed SDGs the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted on 25 September 2015 is an action plan for the achievement of targets by 2030. The SDGs constitute of a set of quantified and time-bound development goals and targets for transforming the human condition by 2030. They comprise of 17 goals and 169 associated targets premised robust economic development, natural resources management and protection, social equity and inclusion.

The section below focuses on the progress and challenges thereof, in the pursuit of some of the aforementioned SDGs and targets, in the context of Eswatini and Zimbabwe, starting with the former. Pertinently older persons' welfare in both Eswatini (Department of Social Welfare) and Zimbabwe (Department of Social Development) falls primarily within the remit of social workers, complemented by NGOs. Significantly, as elsewhere in most African countries the family, is still viewed in both countries as a key social group in which older people are embedded and supported.

SDGs and older Eswatini persons

Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is a landlocked Southern African country. It is bordered by South Africa on one side and Mozambique on another. The country has a population of about 1.2 million and 5% of them comprise of older persons. It is a lower middle-income country and is ranked number 138 of 189 countries in the 2019 Human Development Index (World Bank, 2020). Its GNP per capita in 2018 was US$9.439 (Government of Eswatini (GoE), 2021). On the same note, the proportion of people living in poverty remains very high, as 58.9% of its rural population live below the national poverty line of less than US$1.9 a day (in 2016 and 2017). Its Gini-coefficient stood at 49.3% in 2017 (GoE, 2021) which makes Eswatini one of the most unequal countries in the world.

Based on the Swaziland Household Income and Expenditure Survey quantitative assessment of poverty and vulnerability in Eswatini in 2016/2017 data revealed that 35,000 households with a population of 230,000 persons, suffer from extreme poverty and destitution. They live in a situation of chronic hunger and are unable to meet any of their basic needs (Schubert, 2020). Statistics on poverty in Eswatini reflect an overrepresentation of older persons, which indicates their vulnerability and inability to support themselves (Khumalo, Musingafi & Mafumbate, 2019). Furthermore, the aforementioned authors posit that older persons in Eswatini are living in harsh conditions of poverty, destitution, neglect and abandonment, poor housing, isolation, as well as exclusion from participation in mainstream societal activities. In addition, the HIV and AIDS scourge has imposed a double-burden on older persons in Eswatini, as they have to care for orphaned grandchildren, and yet they also need care themselves.

Goal number 1 of the SDGs is about reducing poverty. Although there are many ways to view poverty, there is broad consensus that it refers to lack, deficiency or want (Schenck & Louw, 2010). As such, poverty lies at the core of all the SDGs and therefore its eradication is likely to lead to the achievement of these Goals. An effective assault on poverty is likely to lead to the achievement of Goals 2 to 7 and 10 stated above, among others.

In response to the syndrome of poverty in old age and to mitigate the impacts of HIV/AIDS on older persons, the Government of Eswatini provides for a universal social pension commonly referred to as the old age grant (OAG). It is a categorical grant administered by the Department of Social Welfare, under the Deputy Prime Minister's Office through its social workers. The old age pension is SZL500 (about US$27.89) monthly, but is paid quarterly.

Although older persons concerns in Eswatini have been somewhat mitigated by OAG provision, its inadequacy inhibits its effective addressing of poverty challenges. This is because it is not enough to meet even the most basic of their needs. The fact that the majority of older persons in Eswatini are caring for orphans makes their situation dire (Makadzange & Dolamo, 2014). Likelihood of older persons being household heads would be because of high unemployment levels in the country thus OAG becomes the only income source for households with an older person. Furthermore, in terms of Section 27.6 of the Constitution of Swaziland 2005, the OAG provision is subject to the availability of resources. This renders the OAG as unreliable and ineffective instrument for poverty reduction among older persons.

Moreover, the OAG only targets household poverty and not independent living. Thus, the current OAG form does not stimulate older persons' self-reliance, let alone meet their needs for food, shelter and health, among others. As such, it cannot be expected to enable older persons to rise above poverty and vulnerability. Consequently, barriers are created towards SDG 2 outcomes of ending hunger, food security achievement and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture, and SDG 3 of ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all, among other Goals.

Nonetheless, being public revenue funded the OAG is therefore to some is extent redistributive and addresses SDG 10 on reducing inequality. However, its redistributive effect is compromised by the fact that resources availability determines OAG provision complicated by OAG's inability to holistically meet all beneficiaries' requirements.

Thus, upward review of monthly OAG amount of SZL500 enable recipients to better meet their needs. Furthermore, it is necessary to mainstream the conceptual underpinnings of the developmental social work approach to empower older persons to become independent. OAG recipients can be motivated to be creative and innovative in coming up with income generating projects using proceeds from their pension allowances. Moreover, older persons in Eswatini reside in rural areas, with access to arable land for agricultural production. Sustained assistance with farming implements and inputs such as maize seed enriches achieving SDG 1 on poverty and SDG 2 on ending hunger and food security and improved nutrition.

It should also be noted that voluntary organisations such as Philani Maswati are instrumental in promoting older persons' wellbeing in Eswatini. They provide relief assistance to destitute older persons. A Matsapa based NGO, Swaziland Hospice at Home (SHAH) provides home-based care to terminally-ill patients, older persons included. Their services include medical treatment, consultation and counselling and home-based care supplies of disposable napkins, gloves, toiletries and bereavement counselling, among others (SHAH, n/d). Furthermore, rationale for Eswatini's Plan of Action (2013-2018) was for care and ensuring food security of vulnerable people particularly older people within communities through resuscitating traditional methods of extending help to the needy such the forgotten practice of the Chiefs Granary (GoS, 2013).

SDGs and older persons in Zimbabwe

Climate stressors affect agriculture and food and nutrition security, disproportionately affecting older people, women and girls. Zimbabwe's predominantly semi-arid and extremely variable climate with shifting rainfall patterns, droughts and floods is exacerbated by substantial environmental challenges including land degradation, deforestation and inadequate water quantity and quality. The National Development Strategy 1: 2021-2025 (NDS1), is the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ)'s five-year plan for realising the country's Vision 2030, while simultaneously addressing the global aspirations of the SDGs and Africa Agenda 2063.