CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE and sometimes even unmarried mothers!” 16 Another problem raised in the media and by stakeholders is the crisis of accommodation. “The problem of accommodation being a national scourge, the disabled live in extremely small spaces in unimaginable conditions, most often on upper floors without a lift [elevator] in overpopulated cities. These families, mostly comprising more than ten persons, are tragically thrown off balance because in all cases the mother, sometimes one of the sisters, carries all the weight of their daily care; an unbearable burden for any human being. Furthermore, when the father of the family loses his job, or when the younger brothers are jobless with no prospects in sight, the solidarity of the family disintegrates totally, bringing about dramas that are often reported by the press.” In addition, people frequently demand that the buildings be adapted (e.g. an elevator) to suit the equipment used by disabled people, and the space necessary to move this equipment. 382. Aged persons. As one of the vulnerable categories of society, the elderly are, according to the CSAR, becoming an increasing concern to the authorities, who have developed a special programme to take care of 3.5 million aged people. This interest is quite recent and the absence of a policy for promoting and protecting this group has given rise to criticism over the past few years. The authorities appear not to have focused sufficient attention on the aged because of other priorities and crises, and until a few years ago this stratum of the population represented only a very small proportion of the whole. 383. It should also be remembered that family solidarity is an important aspect of Algerian society, which still constitutes a certain haven for senior citizens. Nonetheless, the authorities will have to take the situation of senior citizens in hand as a matter of priority as new factors have arisen, such as demographic ageing, changes of equilibrium between generations, and the weakening, in certain cases, of family solidarity owing to the disintegration of the extended family and uprooting of many homes in the last decade. These factors are exacerbated by the social impact of the structural adjustment of the economy, which has affected and impoverished thousands of families. According to a WHO report, the average life expectancy of Algerians will be 75.5 years for men and 77.1 years for women by 2009–2010. It should increase even further to 79.4 years for men and 81.4 years for women by 2029–2030. 17 iii. Recommendations 384. Responsibility for the protection of rights rests with both the government and civil society. 1. The APR Panel would like to recommend that the Algerian government: 16 17 See www.fahm.asso.dz/dossier3.htm. See www.actudz.com/article0263.html. 126