By Layla al-Garib
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Unlike the fact of life, for over a decade, a lot of parents in Syria have either buried their young children who died in war or bid farewell to them, as a significant number of young people left the country looking for a safer place.
This permanent attrition of the younger generation has led Syrian society down a different path, as it was known for its high population growth rate. For now, the Syrian society became a society with an increasing percentage of elderly, in addition to dire various economic and social implications.
Global Estimates and Local Statistics
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) highlighted the rising numbers of the elderly in Syria, estimating their proportion at around 7.2 percent of the population for 2015. According to ESCWA’s estimates, this equals about 1.7 million people.
The ESCWA anticipated this percentage to reach 13 percent by 2050, equivalent to 5.7 million people.
It also mentioned that it supported the Syrian Commission for Family and Population Affairs in developing a national strategy for the elderly from 2021 to 2030.
Data of demographic survey in 2018 also showed an increase in the percentage of the elderly in Syria, from 4.4 percent in 2010 to 5.3 percent in 2018. The 2019 Labor Force Survey indicated a decrease in the workforce percentage by 63 percent at the expense of the elderly with 5 percent.
The Syria Population Status Report for 2022 revealed that the percentage of youth aged 15 to 49 years has decreased due to migration and deaths. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated the number of displaced Syrians due to the crisis at around 5.6 million people by 2021.
All of these numbers indicate to the increasing number of elderly individuals in Syrian society, following a period when it was known for high population growth. The challenges have turned from developing plans for population growth into figuring out how to deal with the expanding phenomenon of the elderly who lack essential services after retirement.
Strategic Plan
Due to that reality, the Syrian government has launched a new strategy to take care of the elderly with the aim of meeting their needs on one hand, improving their lives, and enhancing their role in society on the other hand. This strategy is in response to the demographic and social changes that have occurred after the war in Syria.
One of the measures included in the strategy is the collaboration between state institutions and ministries of the Syrian government such as the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Information, and the Ministry of Health. This collaboration aims to secure the rights of the elderly to lead a dignified life, either through a pension or social benefits that provide them with adequate living without relying on their children to meet their basic needs.
Regarding the sources of funding to implement this strategy, a former director at the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs and Population expressed concerns to North Press that the project might not be implemented due to the harsh economic conditions in the country.
Some aspects of the strategy might rely on local communities and donations to be achieved. This is similar to the strategy followed by Dar al-Sa’ada, a nursing home in Damascus, as it relies on donations to provide its quality services, according to the former director.
Old Continent
As for the economic consequences of these demographic changes in Syrian society, he mentioned that one of the most significant challenges that Europe has faced for decades is the shortage of young populations, which has earned it the nickname the Old Continent. This might be one of the reasons that prompted those countries to receive refugees to compensate for the labor force shortage.
The economic costs are significant for societies where the number of elderly individuals outweighs that of the youth, as they lose the workforce that produces and supports the economy. The director hopes that migrants who are from Syria will come back to their homeland once the situation stabilizes in Syria.