By Gabriel Ameh, The Sight News
The National Senior Citizens Center (NSCC) has joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) which happens annually on June 15th, a day officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its Resolution 66/127 December 2011.
It’s a day in the year when the world voices its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted on some of our older generations.
In a statement issued by the NSCC Director-General, Dr. Emem Omakaro, she stated that the Centre is marking the 2024 WEAAD with the theme: “Our Older Persons deserve our Respect and Attention-Spotlight on Older persons in Emergencies”, with stakeholder engagement, sensitization, awareness creation and advocacy to stop abuse, neglect and violence against older persons.
In the statement, Dr. Omakaro noted that the engagement mechanism and machinery are for the 36 States and FCT Stakeholders Consultative Forums on Ageing and they are galvanized into diverse advocacy presentations in commemoration of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
“Also, NSCC through partnerships has provided to all Stakeholders Consultative Forums in 36 States and FCT, schools, youth and women groups, NAPTIP Toll Free call lines to call and Report Abuse, neglect, violence against older persons. We have shared availability of NAPTIP Social protection officers, Remedy and prosecutorial Squad and in so doing have saved the lives of older persons and apprehended the culprits.
“Our advocacy programs, jingles to reorient persons, Senior-led multi-purpose Cooperatives are all interventions to mitigate vulnerabilities of older persons”, she said.
She further stated that NSCC advocacy groups will use the day to sensitize, enlighten, and mobilize the citizenry to deploy their information, knowledge, and network to prevent, remedy and redress abuse.
She added that tools shared by NSCC include Capacity enhancement on subject matter, available and strong nationwide networks and resources of partners like NAPTIP structures of Call Centers and Toll free lines, services of NAPTIP Protection officers, Remedy and Prosecution Squad.
“Also services of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria for access to legal representations and Justice; the National Human Rights Commission, Ageing desks across 36 States and FCT for Report, mediation and redress of Elder abuse situations.
“NSCC also enjoys the strong partnership of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) across the country for medical outreach to vulnerable older persons and Elder Abuse identification, prevention and treatment”, she added.
Furthermore, she noted that the NSCC is presently engaging Civil Society organizations in Brain Health, Dementia and Alzheimers care to explore collaborations to develop the National Dementia Care Strategic Plan.
NSCC welcomes nationwide support networks to change negative energies, stereotypes, prevalence of prejudices and discrimination against older persons, hence the theme Older Persons- “Deserve our Respect and Attention; Spotlight on older persons in emergencies is apt”.
“Additionally, NSCC pioneered the setting up of Ageing Desks in eleven (11) Internally Displaced Persons camps in Delta States partnering with SEMA and Red cross – it was the beginning of lessons to the stakeholders on peculiar situations and challenges of older persons in emergencies,and the challenges of mobility, health, safety and security in dire vulnerability.
“Volunteerism, empathy, respect and attention are anchored on recognizing, acknowledging the qualities, value and continuing contributions of older persons to family, community and the Nation and it is making a pledge to ourselves that they cannot be expended and to strengthen the protection of their human rights in all phases of emergency effort”, she said.
She further noted that the drivers of NSCC’s sustainable transformative interventions are the NSCC legal and policy Frameworks, the National plan of Action with clearly articulated project activities including present rolled out Geriatric Social Care Sector Skills Council, Training Providers and Centers and the Development of National Occupational Standards (NOS) levels 1-5, to train, assess and Certify caregivers to older persons.
“Additionally, the project activities also include development of National Benchmark and Minimum Standards for Accreditation of Domiciliary Care Agencies, Care facilities with Standard Operating Procedures and these are aimed to strengthen families with options for Quality Care, to provide skilled workforce with coordinated supervision and regulations.
“While the various sector wide programs – the one community one Senior Center initiative in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals to build ten senior centers in the first instance in ten states, are providing Agefriendly environment, enabling older persons to continue to contribute, where abuse are curtailed within communities”, she said.
