Uganda today commemorates World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which serves to unite the world in opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted on older persons.
According to the Uganda Bureau Of Statistics (UBOS) 2020 Statistical Abstract, Uganda has a population of 4 million older persons and about 2 to 3% face some form of abuse, mainly from relatives who want to grab their property, others experience sexual and gender-based violence and neglect.
Addressing the media in Kampala yesterday, the state minister for the Elderly, Dominic Mafwabi Gidudu, urged Ugandans to shun all forms of age-related discrimination.
National celebrations to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day are to be held in Kampala under the theme; “Seniors deserve our Respect and Attention”.
Government has over the years made several efforts to ensure inclusion and dignity for the older persons
A national policy for older persons was adopted in 2009 that calls for equal treatment, social inclusion, and provision of livelihood support for older persons.
In 2020 Members of Parliament created five seats for elderly persons, one of which was ring-fenced for women.
Under this arrangement, every region including Central, Eastern, Northern, and Western has a representative elected by the Elders’ Council constituting all the districts in a particular region, while the National Female MP for the elderly is elected by the National Elders’ Council constituting delegates from all the regions.
