By Clement Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged Nigerians to regularly consult older persons on their needs and preferences, stressing that age should not be used as a basis to undermine their capacity to think, make decisions or contribute meaningfully to society.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, made the call on Tuesday at an event to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, with the theme, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Lives.”
Ojukwu emphasised the need to promote the dignity, independence, security and human rights of older persons, cautioning against the tendency to assume that elderly parents or relatives no longer know what they need simply because of their age.
He said such assumptions could diminish their dignity and exclude them from decisions affecting their lives.
“Talk to them and find out what they want, and you’ll be surprised that what they want may even be easier for you to provide than what you are thinking of providing for them,” Ojukwu said.
He stressed that consulting older persons was essential to ensuring that support provided to them reflected their actual needs rather than solutions imposed on them based on assumptions.
The NHRC boss reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to protecting and promoting the rights of older persons through public awareness, receiving and investigating complaints, monitoring situations affecting them and engaging relevant duty bearers.
He also pledged continued advocacy for stronger implementation of laws and policies protecting older persons, as well as enhanced partnerships with government institutions, civil society organisations, development partners, organisations of older persons, caregivers and the media.
Ojukwu said the Commission would continue to promote a human-rights-based approach to ageing, anchored on dignity, equality, non-discrimination, participation, independence, accountability and access to justice.
He called on stakeholders to make the commemoration more than a ceremonial event, urging them to use it as a renewed call to action to ensure that longevity is accompanied by health, dignity, security, participation and respect for human rights.
“Let us celebrate longevity while ensuring that longevity is accompanied by health, dignity, security, participation, and human rights,” he said.
The Commission felicitated older persons in Nigeria and across the world, while appreciating stakeholders supporting efforts to promote and protect their rights.
Ojukwu said the ultimate goal was to build a Nigeria where everyone could age with dignity, live in safety and security, and enjoy their human rights throughout the life course.
In its goodwill message, the Patrick Omokaro Foundation called for a fundamental rethink of Nigeria’s systems for protecting older persons, urging governments and stakeholders to treat ageing as a human rights, social justice and national development issue.
The Foundation said Nigeria must move beyond traditional approaches to ageing and ensure that its laws, policies, institutions and social protection systems adequately respond to the realities of the country’s growing population of older citizens.
The representative of the Foundation said older persons should not be regarded merely as recipients of care, but as contributors to society and repositories of knowledge, experience and wisdom. He stressed that their dignity, autonomy, participation and independence must remain central to Nigeria’s national responsibilities.
According to the organisation, protecting the rights of older persons requires more than enacting laws and policies, noting that effective implementation, accountable institutions, accessible justice and comprehensive social protection were equally essential.
He also called for greater political participation by older persons, independent and safe living environments, and concrete measures to prevent discrimination, neglect, abuse and exploitation.
The Foundation noted that older persons could face multiple vulnerabilities, particularly in situations involving poverty, disability, discrimination, social isolation and limited access to essential services.
He therefore urged professional associations, civil society organisations, academics, development partners and organisations of older persons to strengthen collaboration towards developing and implementing sustainable mechanisms for protecting their rights.
“We must therefore rethink our systems, not only to protect older persons from violations, but also to create an enabling environment in which they can continue to contribute meaningfully to their families, communities and the nation at large,” it said.
The Foundation called for an approach to ageing anchored on dignity, equality, inclusion, participation and protection, while promoting the highest attainable standard of health and wellbeing for older persons.
He urged stakeholders to ensure that every older person in Nigeria is able to age with dignity, security, equality and independence, with full enjoyment of their human rights.
