A população idosa em Moçambique: uma análise das suas tendências e desafios (1980 - 2017)

Abstract

The aging of the population is one of the greatest triumphs of humanity and, also, one of the great demographic challenges of our time. Over the course of the 21st century, global aging will cause an increase in social and economic demands across the world. However, until today, the elderly are generally ignored as a resource, when, in fact, they constitute an important resource for the structure of our societies. The phenomenon is, above all, a success story for public health policies, as well as for social and economic development. For centuries, the elderly were seen as the wisest, in different communities around the world and, in particular, in African ones, where they have been patriarchs of decisions and transmissions of teachings. However, the elderly in Mozambique and in the world are going through difficult times, mainly regarding their valorization, since many elderly people are neglected, due to the fact that they are not economically active and need special care. In the second half of the 20th century, the regions of Latin America and Asia registered rapid and profound changes in vital rates, reaching fertility levels close to those of more developed countries (Alves 2008; Bongaarts 2001; Bloom et al. 2003; UN 2007). The demographic statistics of Mozambique (from four demographic censuses, from 1980, 1997, 2007 and 2017) indicate a growing trend in the elderly population, thus deserving greater attention from the point of view of public policies. This study aims to analyze the evolution of the elderly population in Mozambique and its challenges. For this purpose, an exploratory analysis of data from the demographic censuses from 1980 to 2017, the government's five-year plans, law 3/2014 of 5 February and other relevant documents were used.