General News
Sen. Eze Ajoku Tasks Human Rights Commission On Combating Elder Abuse
The President, Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria, COSROPIN, Senator Dr. Eze Ajoku, OFR, has called on the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, to redouble its efforts in combating elder abuse and protecting the rights of older persons in Nigeria.
He made the call during a one day Training of NHRC Staff in Abuja with the theme “Strengthening Human Rights Defenders and Advocates in Combating Elder Abuse and Protecting the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria”.
Senator Dr. Eze Ajoku who was a Resource Person at the Training expressed concern over the rate of elder abuse, neglect, exploitation and descrimination in the society hence the need for the staff who are described as Human Rights Defenders to be alive to their responsibilities.
In his paper presentation titled “Overview of Older Persons in Nigeria/Causes and Implications of Elder Abuse”, the COSROPIN President advised members of staff of National Human Rights Commission to be committed to promoting, protecting and enforcing human rights of all persons most especially the less privileged in the society.
“Many laboured throughout their youth with dignity and honour but today, a good number of them live in loneliness, poverty, sickness and neglect” He said
In his words “More people are now living longer because of improvements in medicine, healthcare and public awareness and while life expectancy is improving, our systems of protection and care for older persons are not improving at the same pace”.
“In many communities today, older persons who once commanded honour now struggle quietly and some are abandoned in villages after their children relocate to cities or abroad. Some cannot afford medication while others suffer emotional abuse inside the very homes they built. As a nation, we must understand that older persons are not liabilities. They are custodian of wisdom, memory, sacrifice, faith, leadership and culture ” Senator Dr Ajoku explained.
The President of COSROPIN stressed the need for regular training and retraining of NHRC workforce on ways of identifying, preventing, documenting, monitoring and responding to cases of all forms of elder abuse towards ensuring their dignity in the society.
Senator Dr. Eze Ajoku also emphasized measures that would strengthen the Commission’s institutional capacity to advocate for the promotion and protection of the rights and dignity of older persons in line with national, regional and international human rights standards.
“This matter concerns all of us because ageing is not a distant issue and by the grace of God, it is a future many of us hope to reach therefore let the Human Rights Commission become: the voice of the neglected, the defender of the abandoned and the shield for vulnerable older persons in Nigeria ” Senator Dr. Eze Ajoku added.
In a remark , the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Tony Ojukwu said the trading was organized to further enhance the capacity of staff of the Commission towards protecting the rights of older persons in the country.
Mr Ojukwu therefore advised participants at the training to put into practice what they have learnt during the training to improve their productivity.
While commending Senator Dr Eze Ajoku for the paper presentation, Mr Ojukwu expressed his Commission’s readiness to partner COSROPIN and other relevant Organizations towards the protection of rights of older persons in Nigeria.