Conference: Ageing in Africa: Narratives, Human Rights, and Care

Africa is undergoing major demographic change, in which the population share of its older population is expected to increase rapidly, at a much faster pace than in other world regions. This demographic shift poses challenges to families and households, institutions and practices of governance, and civil society organizations. In general, these dynamics are understudied, and the existing scholarship on ageing in Africa remains disparate. The aim of the conference is to make ageing in Africa a more prominent theme within African studies, by bringing together scholars researching on ageing across diverse regional and disciplinary contexts. It seeks to better understand contemporary processes of governance and human rights by studying how African states cope with the challenges of ageing populations. Also, the conference aims to bring attention to the study of ageing in Africa by making the fragmented research on ageing known across different national and regional contexts.

The conference is part of the Interdisciplinary Fellow Group “Ageing in Africa” at the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA) at the University of Ghana in Accra, Ghana. It aims to seek answers to the following questions:  

Care: How is care for frail older adults or those with chronic conditions organized and sustained through formal and informal governance mechanisms? What resources are available from the states, communities, markets, and families? How do life-course planning, migration, technology, and mobility influence ageing and elderly care in Africa and its diasporas? 

Narratives: How are public discourse and policy narratives about age and ageing in Africa formed, maintained, or transformed over time?  Which influence does migration, mobility, and social media have on gender roles and inter/intra-generational relations regarding ageing in Africa? How has Africa’s image as predominantly gerontocratic societies and gerontocratic political elite evolved over time? 

Governance: How do African countries respond to the growing ageing population aged sixty and above and the implication for political governance? Do older adults emerge as a political force through health and societal welfare-oriented movements at different governance levels? How do health and social welfare systems adapt to demographic change? What are the roles of transnational and multilateral organizations, private healthcare chains as well as health insurance companies, in shaping these responses in Africa?

Human rights: Do efforts to protect older adults and combat ageism influence legal frameworks on ageism in African nations? Which other measures affect the human right to healthcare and a dignified life in old age? More broadly, how do global human rights discourses on ageism shape national policies and societal debates in African countries? 

This conference is open to the public. For virtual participation via Zoom, please use the following link:

Zoom link: https://uni-freiburg.zoom-x.de/j/63627453281pwd=Sy8b3za9DNKiumf6zEEBDUcjNPY2pX.1

Meeting-ID: 636 2745 3281

Code: iJw4vGdcv

Programme