The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has joined the International Community to recognize and celebrate the enduring contribution of all older persons in Ghana, Africa, and globally.
Mr Joseph Whittal, CHRAJ Commissioner has stated that “it is important for ageing issues to be mainstreamed into national development policies.
“The active participation of older persons in society and development is based on providing older persons with the opportunity to continue contributing to society.
“These contributions reach beyond their economic activities and extend into their roles in families and in the community. Participation in social, economic, cultural, sporting, recreational and volunteer activities also contribute to the growth and maintenance of the personal well-being of older persons”.
Mr Whittal stated during engagement with the media as monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult to commemorate the 2022 International Day of Older Persons on the theme; “Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World”.
The CHRAJ Commissioner called on the government to reinforce programmes and policies on inclusion, poverty reduction, equality promotion, and non-discrimination, with particular attention to the elderly.
He also appealed to the government to help raise awareness of the importance of improved data collection disaggregated by age, highlighting the resilience of older persons in the face of environmental, social, economic, and lifelong inequalities.
Mr Whittal recommended to the government pay attention to, and challenge negative stereotypes and misconceptions about older persons and the aged, and pursue age-friendly environments, free of physical and social barriers.
He also urged the government to create an environment to enable older persons to realize their potential, while promoting policy dialogues to enhance the protection of older persons’ human rights, while recognizing their contributions to sustainable development.
On the International Day of Older Persons, the CHRAJ Commissioner explained that the day was set to serve as a reminder to all on the significant contributions that older people make in traversing global challenges and finding solutions to them with resilience and strength.
He noted that the day also help in increasing awareness on the importance of considering the voices, perspectives and needs of the elderly as a critical focal point for creating meaningful policies that advance towards the achievement of Universal Health Coverage across the African continent.
“Resilience does not necessarily decline with age. Better health and well‐being are associated with greater resilience and higher levels of social and communal interaction are associated with improved resilience” he noted.
Mr Whittal indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic has made the world cautious about older persons in furtherance of their safety. with older people at higher risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, the pandemic highlighted the urgent need to prioritise the safety of the ageing population who are more vulnerable in times of crisis.
Source: Modern Ghana
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