Overview:
The elderly play a vital role in building and developing society. However, with time, they become very weak. Many of them suffer from poverty, or disability, or face discrimination, and one of the most important aspects of discrimination against older people is their abuse, which is a problem that exists in both developing and developed countries alike, but it is also one of the problems that is not sufficiently reported at the global level.
We can define elder abuse as a hidden problem, which means violence or neglect of the elderly by a companion, or anyone close to him. Which may lead to harm to him, and regardless of the type of harm, it may lead to suffering, injury, pain, or a violation of human rights, and a reduction in the quality of life for the elderly. Mistreatment of the elderly may occur by doing harmful things to them, saying harmful words to them, or by preventing them from accessing necessary things. Abuse often becomes more frequent and severe over time.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is celebrated on June 15th every year. It represents the only day of the year when the entire world expresses its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted on some of our elderly parents and grandparents.
Objectives:
- Raising community awareness and highlighting the issue of elder abuse.
- Demanding a multi-faceted global response focused on protecting the rights of the elderly.
- Developing methods and techniques for identifying, detecting, and treating elder abuse in a cultural context, and considering culturally specific risk factors.
Facts:
- Prevalence rates of elder abuse are only available in developed countries, and range between 1-10%. Although its extent is unknown, its social and moral importance is clear.
- It is a global social issue that affects the health and rights of millions of elderly people around the world, and it is an issue that deserves the attention of the international community.
Official Date:
Globally: June 15th, 2024
Locally: Dhul-Hijjah 9th, 1445H