Many senior women in Karnataka feel their workplaces support them, says report

Around 33% of senior women in Bengaluru are engaged in full-time or part-time employment while 85% of them said that they worked in an employment-friendly atmosphere, according to “Women and Ageing: Invisible or Empowered?”, a report released by HelpAge India on Wednesday (June 14), the eve of UN recognized ‘World Elder Abuse Awareness Day’.

Around 33% of senior women in Bengaluru are engaged in full-time or part-time employment while 85% of them said that they worked in an employment-friendly atmosphere, according to “Women and Ageing: Invisible or Empowered?”, a report released by HelpAge India on Wednesday (June 14), the eve of UN recognized ‘World Elder Abuse Awareness Day’.

The report also said that 6% of senior women in the city felt that they were financially secure due to the support extended by their family and government pensions. It has also been revealed that 49% of the women agreed that elder abuse existed in society, while 16% of them reportedly admitted having suffered some form of abuse at the hands of their sons, daughters-in-law, and other relatives. 

The report, which focuses on older women, explored aspects of elder abuse, discrimination, access and ownership of older women to financial resources, employment and employability, health care, social and digital inclusion, safety and security, awareness and use of redressal mechanisms and others.

The research, which was stretched across the country, considered a sample size of 7,911 senior women within the age group of 60 – 90 years. From Karnataka, 578 women were considered for the study. 

The findings from the study showed that in the State (barring Bengaluru), 55% of women were engaged in some sort of employment, while at least 98% of older women in Karnataka said that their workplace was pro-senior citizens and extremely supportive of them.  

“It is a stark reality that women, as they become older, tend to become neglected and are often invisible. Women aged 60 plus comprise 11% of the total women population (7 crore of 66 crore) in 2021, and it will become 14% by 2031 (10 crore of 72 crore).

The report highlights the gender inequality gap and the vulnerability elderly women face nationally. It throws up some hard facts such as 54% are illiterate, 43% are widowed, 16% face abuse, 75% do not have any savings, 66% of older women don’t own assets, and many feel financial insecure,” said Rohit Prasad, CEO, HelpAge India.