Unleashing the Economic Potential of Older Women: How Inclusion and Representation Benefit Us All

By 2050, the number of people aged 60 or older will reach 2.1 billion globally, with 80 percent of older adults living in low- and middle-income countries. The majority of this aging population are women. There will be 1.14 billion women worldwide aged 60 and older by 2050. Currently, the global population of women over the age of 60 is estimated at 605 million, indicating that the number of older women will nearly double in just three decades. This increase in the older-female share of the population will have significant implications for social and economic outcomes, particularly

in lower- and middle-income countries, which are aging rapidly. Older women
play a pivotal role in society, including as providers of child care, elder care, and domestic labor. Though this work is often unpaid or underpaid, it enables their family members to work and save more, indirectly contributing to GDP growth and economic development. Despite this dependence on their labor and despite the resilience and strength they demonstrate regularly, older women are often economically excluded and socially marginalized, undermining their autonomy, and leaving them vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation.