Africa
PARTICIPANTS at the Africa Regional High Level Conference have urged African leaders to speed up the ratification of a key protocol on older people’s rights.
The protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of the older persons was adopted in 2016 with only Lesotho and Republic of Benin ratification it.
According to Dr Emem Omokaro, convener and co- chair, The Stakeholders Group on Ageing Africa (SGA ) Africa, until date, 14 countries have signed the protocol while only two countries have adopted it.
She said that the conference aims at sentsitising national governments on the human rights situation of older persons in Africa and to identify key areas for action.
According to her this included the ratification of the regional protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples ‘Rights on the Rights of Older People.
She added also, and support for for Open -Ended Working Group Africa (OEWGA) on the on- going debate on strengthening the protection of the rights of older persons.
“The experiences of older persons and particular context of old age is still not sufficiently addressed from a human rights perspective ‘
” The current legal frameworks at both national and international levels are grossly inadequate and inconsistent, with only a limited number of countries that provide explicit guarantees of equality and non – discrimination on the basis of age according to UN report ” she said.
Earlier, Mr Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission in his welcome address called for the ratification of the protocol which would serve as a legal framework for the protection of the rights of the older persons.
According to Ojukwu, the narrative surrounding the rights of the older persons which previously occupied the back burner at different time continues to resurface in major discussions within the national, region and international spheres.
He said that the essence of having a conference of this nature affords us the opportunity to exchange ideas on steps taken by various countries and continent in escalating soci-political and economic rights of the older persons.
“An issue of such important can not be handled by an individual or an organisation alone but by collaboration with one another towards improving the lifes , well being and human rights of the older persons.
“Though, the success recorded are commendable you may also agree that more things need to be done .
“There is need first to recognise and appreciate the fact that the older persons occupies a special position in the world demographic” he said.
In addition, he said social security and protection clause for older person should be regarded as human rights which are interrelated, inter-independent and indivisible .
Ojukwu added that the promotion of human rights of the older person should be a concern of the public authorities for the older persons are full members of the society.
He added that their contributions remains important for national development.
” This discussion for the rights of the older persons should be considered to be a call for inclusion and ensuring that no one is left in the scheme of things in achieving the sustainable development goal” he said.
According to him, critical decision is an important political tool to mount pressure on the government to develop and implement policies of this kind .
He said ‘we are lucky today to have a representative of the president of federal republic of Nigeria in the person of Minister of Special Duty, Sen. George Akume who we pray will use his influence to change the lifes of the older persons in Nigeria and beyond.
He added that the president of the United Nations General Assembly will also use his influence to improve the human rights of the older persons .
According to him, ” it is imperative that we do not postpone any critical decisions that are required to achieve the desired goal as this will contribute immensely towards ensuring solid development of an operative framework that will guaranty the human rights of the older persons.
Earlier, declaring the conference open, Sen. George Akume, minister for special duties who represented the President, informed the participants that in recognition of the importance of the place of the older persons, the government created some avenues such as the Senior citizens Act, 2018.
This according to him, was to bring about the maximum utilisation of resources of the older person also strengthen solidarity between different age groups.
He added that the Pension scheme- though there are vhallenges the pension reforms of 2014 sought to improve pensions administration.
Akume added that the Nigerian government introduced a pension transition scheme to harmonise the pension issues that arose from the transition from the board to the new scheme.
“Though retirees still face some challenges in accessing prompt and timely pension benefits the scheme has witness unpresidented and unpredicted improvement in pension administration.
“The Retirement training: public officers in Nigeria are given free pre- retirement training to enable them enjoy their pension benefits, this is the strategy for eradicating poverty at old age.
“Other benefits enjoyed by the pensioners are subsidised medical expenses in public hospitals and social welfare services while the conditional cash transfer scheme is to provide support to Nigerians who are poor and vulnerable” he said.
In her goodwill message, Ms Amal Abou Rafeh, Chief, programme on Ageing, United Nation said that ageing in Africa is inevitable.
Adding, she said between 2019 and 2050, the share of older persons was projected to increase by 218 per cent Sub- Saharan Africa.
Rafeh further said that this was a pivotal moment for driving calls to promote and protect the rights of older persons.
Also in his goodwill message, Mr Ken Bluestone, chair, Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People stated that we need to create moments like this where different stakeholders can learn from each other.
” This expert conference is necessary for furthering our knowledge, but also for identifying action that is going to make a real difference in the lives of older persons across Africa ” he said.
In attendance were participants from Kenya, Zambia, Liberia, South Africa, Cameroon, Uganda, Nigeria among others.
NAN
– Nov. 26, 2019 @ 18:59 GMT |
Tags: Participants urge African Leaders to ratify protocol on older people’s rights
