World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: Stakeholders Demand Better Care for Senior Citizens

The Federal Government has restated its commitment to ensuring the well-being of older persons across the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr.

Olusanya Olubunmi, made this known in Abuja during a Walk and Sensitization Campaign organized by the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) to commemorate this year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Mr. Olusanya Olubunmi, who represented the Minister at the event, commended COSROPIN for its sustained advocacy efforts towards the protection and welfare of older persons in Nigeria.
He noted that the current administration would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure that vulnerable citizens across the nation are given a sense of belonging.
Earlier, the President of the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN), Senator Eze Ajoku, OFR, said the annual observance provides an opportunity for governments, communities, families, and organizations to reflect on the challenges confronting older persons and strengthen efforts aimed at promoting their welfare and safeguarding their human rights.

According to him, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is more than a symbolic event; it is a call to action that reminds Nigerians that every older person deserves to live in safety, dignity, and freedom from abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and abandonment.
Expressing concern over the prevalence of elder abuse in the country, the COSROPIN President stated that the Coalition would continue to intensify advocacy efforts aimed at reducing the problem.
“In Nigeria, respect for elders has been one of our cherished cultural values. However, changing social and economic realities have weakened many of the support systems that once protected older persons. Increased poverty, unemployment, migration, and the breakdown of the extended family structure have left many older persons vulnerable to neglect and abuse,” he said.
Senator Eze Ajoku therefore called for the strengthening of both formal and informal protection systems, while also recognizing the invaluable contributions of older persons to societal development.
In his words, “The Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) remains committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of older persons and will continue to engage government, institutions, policymakers, community leaders, and development partners to ensure that issues concerning older persons receive the attention they deserve.”
He further called on the Federal and State Governments to accelerate the implementation of policies and programmes that would promote healthy and active ageing in the country.
Senator Ajoku also stressed the need for a legal framework that would guarantee remedies for victims of elder abuse, emphasizing that older persons should have access to justice and be protected from all forms of abuse and exploitation.
Some older persons who spoke at the event called for additional measures, particularly in the area of healthcare support packages, to improve their welfare and quality of life.
Other speakers at the programme pledged their support to COSROPIN in actualizing its mandate of promoting and protecting the rights of older persons.