Growing Old in Cameroon : Gender, Vulnerability, and Social Capital

This book discusses the problems Cameroon faces in caring for its older population. It also proposes policy options that can make a difference in the lives of older citizens and finds that they are not a burden to society, but rather key players in the development process.

For the governments of many developing African nations, providing income security for the older population is difficult, particularly in Cameroon. This book uncovers the complex problem of pension deficits and difficulties providing welfare and other forms of social assistance. A vast majority of older people in Cameroon remain unassisted and battling to survive, with increasingly fragmented family and community oriented forms of support. As the older population increases, fundamental concerns remain: Is care provided only by family members sustainable? How does gender factor into this situation, and who bears the brunt of these problems? Borrowing from social capital theory, this book discusses how older people struggle to find new forms of social protection. This book articulates the view that older people display remarkable courage, resilience, and coping strategies which make them not a burden to society, but rather key players in the development process. It proposes achievable policy options that can make a difference in the lives of Cameroon’s older citizens.