Executive Director of the Dewdrop Foundation, DDF, Agatha Nnaji has said that the foundation will partner with the Centre for Gender Economics Africa, CGE in implementing a Voice Project intended to minimize elderly person’s abuse in communities.
Nnaji who spoke during a one-day media workshop with the theme, ‘Curtailing abuse of elderly in communities’ said the partnership will also help draw public attention to the alarming rise in the abuse of elders.
According to her, the elderly have over the years, been treated like a minority group in the Nigeria society, a situation which has often affected their health and social welfare.
She explained that the foundation was working on 10 communities in Enugu State where it will sensitize people, train caregivers and strengthen the voice of the elderly in the communities through creation groups known as ‘SENNAGERS’, which translates into senior teenagers.
“We want to see how we can help improve the health and social welfare of the elderly in our communities and also promote their acceptance, thereby, increasing their life expectancy,” she said.
She said that the NGOs will achieve this through dialogue and engagement. “We want to build the voice of the elderly to influence policies that will bring about sustainable care for them”
READ ALSO: Buhari Approves Recruitment Of 5,000 Personnel For NDLEA
On her part, the Executive Director, Centre for Gender Economics, CGE Uchenna Idoko, advised both the Federal and State Governments to implement with policies and strategies that will take care of the needs of the elderly in the country.
Idoko said that it has been observed that the old people suffer a lot of abuses from the people around them, some of which include, psychological, physical, sexual and neglect.
She equally noted that the media has got an all-important role to play in terms of informing members of the public about the need to show love and respect for the elderly in the society.
“We want the media to join this campaign to boost the voice of the elderly whose plights are seen to be deplorable in Nigeria as it will help to give them a sense of care and happiness to enjoy their old age.”
She said that the voice project is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and executed by a consortium between Oxfam Novib and Hivos.
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.