Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), an Abuja-based NGO, has cautioned
against the abuse of elders in Nigeria and the world.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the group, Ms May Ikokwu, said this on Thursday in an interview with
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, on the occasion of the theme of 2023 World Elders Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).
NAN reports that the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was launched on June 15, 2006 by the International Network for
the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organisation (WHO at the United Nations.
The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote better understanding
of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder.
WEAAD is also in support of the UN International Plan of Action acknowledging the significance of elder abuse as a public
health and human rights issue, and serves as a call-to-action for individuals, organisations and communities to raise
awareness about elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
The theme for this year’s WEAAD is: “Closing the Circle: Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Older Age –
Policy, Law and Evidence-based Responses.”
Ikokwu, therefore, said that abuse of older people, known as elder abuse, is morally wrong.
She added that “abuse causes harm or distress to an older person.
“This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights and includes physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse;
financial and material abuse; abandonment; neglect, ” Ikokwu said.
She called for an end to the abuse of the elderly, adding that “it is capable of causing serious loss of dignity and respect.”
She said that according to World Health Organisation (WHO), abuse of older people is an important public health problem.
Ikokwu called on government at different levels to prioritise policies that would protect elders from all forms of abuse.
The Culture Advocate urged families to ensure protection of elders for a dignified living.(NAN)
