World Bank maps policy paths for aging women in poor countries

This is a working paper that analyzes what policies actually work to improve the lives of older women in developing economies, moving beyond generic solutions to context-specific recommendations. It matters because older women in poor countries face specific problems — inadequate pensions, limited healthcare access, social isolation, economic dependence — that don't get solved by one-size-fits-all policies designed elsewhere.

Most development policy treats older people as a single group, but older women face distinct barriers: they're more likely to be widowed, have no pension history, face age and gender discrimination in hiring, and carry unpaid care responsibilities — this analysis makes those differences visible and shows which policy combinations actually address them rather than assume they do.