Poverty, policy, reciprocity and older people in the South

The paper reviews the evidence from qualitative research into old age poverty and finds it is a significant problem in development countries. Old age poverty is multidimensional in that, in addition to low income, it reflects poor access to services and employment, as well as gender differentials extending into old age. The limitations of policy on ageing and poverty arise from underestimating the contribution of older people to the development process.