‘Senior Citizens’ is a term used for elderly people above sixty (60) years of age in Pakistan. Ageing is the inevitable biological process that every living organism has to endure throughout its lifespan. For human beings, as the saying goes, the older we get, the wiser we become. The connotation of wisdom with age is interesting; the older trees are called ‘wisdom trees’,
the ultimate source of inspiration, stillness, and hope for any who seeks shade underneath. However, even the wisdom tree requires proper care and adequate environmental conditions to survive the tests of time. Likewise, it is pertinent to actively strive for the integration of Senior Citizens in our community through legislative, moral, and ethical measures.
This article by the Iqbal Institute of Policy Studies will discuss the rights of senior citizens in the context of universal rights and the legal framework of Pakistan.
Universal Rights Relevant to Senior Citizens
Even though the Senior Citizens possess the same universal rights as the younger generation, certain rights are particularly relevant to facilitate the experience of ageing. These universal rights include the right to dignity, right to freedom from discrimination, right to freedom from violence, right to health, right to social security, right to an adequate standard of living, right to work, and right to property.
It is important to understand that the natural rights accrued to a person by virtue of being human do not change with age (GAROP, 2021). Nonetheless, Senior Citizens face institutionalized discrimination in all walks of life, specifically with access to justice in matters of healthcare, employment, social security,
inheritance etc. Besides, they become physically dependent on other people, which is a contributing factor for the increase in violence and abuse against Senior Citizens. This adverse discrimination based on age is called Ageism, also defined as, the denial of basic human rights of Senior Citizens,
possibly one of the most prevalent prejudices despite the professed value and respect of Senior Citizens in many societies (International Longevity Center, 2006). In the context of Pakistan, the country has ratified the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA, 2002), focused on building an all-age inclusive society. Additionally, Pakistan is dedicated to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which endorse and support age-inclusive development across the world.
