Supporting Senior Citizens in India

• India’s senior citizens are expected to double by 2050, primarily comprising old women, especially widows, who often experience high dependency.

• Fertility rates have fallen below replacement level, leading to a shrinking working-age population and increased care needs for the elderly.

• Gender equality is now a demographic and economic necessity, not just a rights issue.

• If women continue to be excluded from the workforce, the dependency ratio will rise faster, straining fewer workers and undermining fiscal stability.

• Reversing this trend requires integrated policies connecting health, labour, and social protection.

• India needs real investment in public health systems that prioritize women’s needs, care services that redistribute unpaid work, and policies that see women as builders of the economy.