The Senior Citizen Association of Zambia (SCAZ) is lobbying Government to implement the Social Security Policy and the Aging policy.
SCAZ National Coordinator Rosemary Sishimba said the organisation was advocating for social pensions as these were critical to reducing extreme poverty and achieving the right to social security for older persons.
ZANIS reports that Ms. Sishimba explained that the organisation had since written to the Vice President George Kunda to arrange for a meeting to discuss the implementation of the Social Security and Aging Policies.
She said this during the commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons under the global theme “Older Persons and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals” in Lusaka today (Friday).
Ms. Sishimba stated that in the past the organisation had been holding talks with the Ministry of Community Development but up to date the policies have not yet been enacted.
She however thanked the ministry for helping in other projects pertaining to the elderly.
She said with the enactment of the Social Security Policy, social pensions would form part of the comprehensive social protection strategies to tackle extreme poverty thoughtout the remaining life of older persons and would benefit those under their care usually orphaned children.
She added that the Aging Policy would also ensure that the elderly have access to good health, shelter and food security.
And Senior Citizen Silvia Sakala complained that the current pension, the elderly received was inadequate to sustain their basic needs.
Ms Sakala said she was looking after four orphans and the 100 thousand Kwacha she receive monthly could not help pay for school fees.
She advised Government to seriously look into their plight.
ZANIS
