Yet older women – especially the grandmothers holding families together – remain largely invisible in these discussions. I met partners and community groups who are trying to ease the pressures facing older carers. Older women carry so much – children, grandchildren, spouses, and often the emotional weight of holding families together. Here is what must change:Recognise: Governments should acknowledge the immense burden older women carry and uphold their rights as caregivers. As I left Ethiopia, I kept returning to the grandmother who told me she had regained her sense of self.

Source: Ethiopian News January 22, 2026 12:55 UTC