REPORT
ON COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION ON OLDER PERSONS RIGHT IN KIZIRANFUMBI, KITOBA, and
KYANGWALI & KIGOROBYA SUBCOUNTY CONDUCTED ON 27th 28th
29th and 30th July 2016
 |
| Photo 1: Community members in Kigorobya
Sub County discussing old person’s rights during the sensitization meeting |
1.0 Introduction
Uganda
Reach the aged Association (URAA) with support from independent development
Fund (IDF) is implementing “Access to Justice and Human Rights Awareness”
project at the grass root level in Hoima District. The project targets older
person’s rights and land issues. It’s based on this that community
sensitization meetings were conducted in Bukinda village Kyangwali sub county, Kibengeya
Kigorobya sub county, Kisambo village Kiziranfumbi Sub county , Kibangwa
village Kitoba Sub county on older persons rights. The aim was to have communities
more aware of rights issues affecting older persons and support to end rights
violation. The meetings began with prayers, followed by remarks,
presentation on rights, discussions and was attended by 206 persons (113 male
and 93 female)
1.2 Opening remarks
All the
community sensitization meetings were opened by the area LC1s Chairpersons in
the four sub counties. In their remarks
were pleased to host the community meetings and appreciated the work done by URAA
and the paralegals in their areas. In their communication they said older
persons are not benefiting like other groups of people forenistance the
children, youth and women. The older person rights are abused and even taken
away by the government like now when a parent punishes a child is taken to
court.
1.3 Project Officer -URAA. Thanked
the Area chairpersons for mobilizing the older persons and their community
members to attend the meetings. He informed older persons and community members
that URAA project doesn’t have components of supporting older persons with
materials but provide knowledge and work towards rights of older persons. Also
said that URAA AJURA project phase one ended and after IDF extended the project
for more 12 months basing on the
previous performance.
He
said that in the previous phase awareness was done on a small scale. Now we are
increasing the number of people to be involved. It is also more focused on the
community at the parish levels to provide more interaction as Sub County was a
longer distance. It is more focused and closed to where the older people leave.
2.0 Presentation on rights
The C& R.O
–URAA He informed the older persons that they have rights like any other person
in Uganda of owning any property including land and even participation in the
development programs with in their areas. He said the purpose of holding the
meeting is to increase community knowledge on rights of older persons.
He also informed
older persons and community members about the different ageing issues and
challenges of older persons. This was mainly to bring the attention of communities
on the different rights which they may deny the older persons because of their
age. The ageing issues and challenges talked about included
Discrimination of older persons at all levels
including leadership level; they are not invited for workshops,
Poverty was another
ageing issue since as age clocks in many older persons get weak and are less
productive leaving them dependent on relatives who may not care about the lives
of the older persons.
Violence and abuse. Many times older
persons are violent. He also said that violence rises as a result of polygamy
as wives keep arguing and the male partners become violent. He further said,
too much work load on women and drunkardness are other causes of violence in
families among older persons.
Visual challenge: Many older persons lose sight as
they grow and this is a challenge to them since they are unable to clearly see.
Failing health. Older people’s health
deteriorates as they age and this is a challenge to their well being. They
easily develop cancer, high bold pressure among others. He called up on
communities to have kitchen gardens near homes as away of boosting their
nutrition. There is need to ease access services for older persons
Isolation. Older persons face a lot of self stigma
that makes them isolate themselves from the rest of the community which makes
them feel neglected as they think that their care takers are not bothered about
their well being. Communities and family members have a role to play like
visiting such people and counseling them
Fear. Older persons are always in fear of
many things like death, falling, and they should be assisted to outgrow these
fears and understand that they are normal people like the rest of the community.
Communities and family members have a role to play like visiting such people
and counseling them
Low self esteem. The older persons have low
self-esteem and even reach a level of fearing their own children. This is not a
good practice because much as the older persons grow, they should remain heads
of the household and not feel inferior and intimidated by their children.
Employment challenge. Jobs advertised
have an age limit and most of the time the people above the age of 45 years are
excluded. Therefore he asked the older persons to try and seek self-employment
since even after 45 years they still have responsibilities and can live for
many more years.
The human rights and obligation of older persons that
were discussed include
·
Right
to life
·
Right
to own property
·
Right
to food and shelter
·
Right
to freedom, right to education
·
Right
to vote and be voted
·
Right
to security among others.
·
Parental
hood
·
Participation
in the development of their areas
·
Provide
basic needs to their families
·
Respect
rights of others
3.0 Discussion on rights issues
The PO-URAA
Hoima led the communities is the discussion session on the rights issues in
their areas. The session was
interesting as each member of the community was given opportunity to share. The following were raised
Children
rights and obligations
Older persons
expressed concern over the new amended children act. That act gives a lot of
freedom to children and incase parents punishes their children can take them to
police. This limits older persons obligation of parental hood as parent’s fears to punish
their children incase of misbehaving which a danger to the new generation. The teachers too expressed the same fear and
called upon for collective efforts of modeling the children into useful people
despite the existing laws. PO-URAA said that there is need to talk to them on their
obligations and responsibilities as children, youth and women.
Older persons
called up the government to explain more to the children on the amended act so
that children continue to respect their parents and older persons. This is
because of the interpretation children are taking that no one can punish them
both at school and at home which may results to high crimes if no action was
made.
 |
| Photo 2 Older person in Kiziranfumbi
sub county expressing concern over the new amended child Act; that children no
longer listen to older person |
Youth rights and older person’s rights
Older persons
expressed concern over the youth who don’t want to work. Most the youth think
that properties of their parents belong to them. The youth want to take
advantage of the law on inheritance and children act yet they have grown up
into adult hood. The older persons said that “they are worried, the youth
continue demanding properties even when they are able to work when older
persons refuse they threaten to kill us and even grab forcefully”. One
older person said that youth are taking away their rights of owning properties
and using them. They even tell you that u are about to die.
One of the LC1
chairperson said that older persons
rights have been abused the youth who
keep on giving birth to children and they cant take care only send them to the
villages. He said that youth are not working and want free properties from
older persons. They are engaged in unproductive activities and don’t want
advise from older persons. Another LC1 chairperson said that when older persons
are abused they few institutions in place to assist them.
One of the youth
participating in the meeting accepted the views of older persons that the youth
are a problem to them and pray when they can die and take properties. He also
said that sometimes also older persons
causes the youth to be a problem, they don’t want their children to work but
keep with them doing working at home. He
requested older person to respect their age and support the youth to be trained
in skills courses for those who fail to go to school.
 |
| Photo 3 : Youth in Kitoba sub county responding older person’s
issues about the youth |
Older persons
called up the government to talk to the youth about their future. Older person
pledged to talk to the youth about other things that can make them more
productive. The youth said that the meeting was good because all stakeholders
were involved and pledged to reform and share information to others.
Older person
pension
Older persons
expressed concern over the delay to receive their pension. The older persons said that they worked for
companies and government but its take long process to start benefiting from
your money. “Some
older persons claimed and got tired and lost hope yet they have aright to
receive and others have died with out benefiting from their sweat” older persons’
said with augur.
Then when a person dies before getting pension the families spend a lot
of time and money and even they don’t receive.
Then another person
asked “where does that money go to”? The
C& R O said that the pension fund is faced with corruption and advised the
older person to report such cases with the Uganda Human rights Commission Hoima
Officer and the Inspectorate of Uganda Hoima office.
Senior citizen grant
Older persons asked
access to the old person’s grants is it aright? If yes why not Hoima? The
PO-URAA Hoima said that yes all older persons are entitled to the grant but the
government roll out program is slow. He advised the older persons to use all
the available avenues to talk to other government leaders and elected political
leaders. He said that URAA at national
level is engaging with the central government to ensure all older persons in
Uganda benefits. He said that URAA is an
NGO and the grants are managed by the government. He further said that URAA has
paralegals trained with basic knowledge in laws and work voluntarily to help
older persons and are not benefiting from the older persons grants as it’s
alleged by others
 |
|
Photo 4 older person expressing
concern over the delayed roll out of older persons grants to Hoima district |
The older
persons called up on concern persons to ensure roll out is faster because
others many die and are in need of the fund like those who are benefiting.
Decision and participation in the development of
their areas
Older persons
said that now days they not respected and involved in the decision making. They
said that most people say they “expired” with out ideas. Older
persons said that “the youth have denied us the right to speech yet
we have the same status, when ever in meetings they don’t want us to talk”. They asked if
people say like that why participate. The PO URAA said that its right to
participate and views of older persons need to be heard like the youth and
women. He advised the communities to also give opportunities for older persons
to talk because they know a lot and are useful. He said that every one must
know is heading to the being older and while old one needs to behave well to be
respected in the community. The LC 1 chairperson said that some older persons
are supporting bad activities of the youth and can’t be respected even when
they are to talk. Those who do write things are respect in the community
Some of the
ladies who attended the meeting said that older persons are not helping them in
modeling their men. Whenever faced with domestic issues they sideline with the
boys in steady of looking through the issues. Whenever children rights are
bused they support the boys. Then if they are like that why respect them. The
men said that women keep children secrets away of their fathers when they are
in problems that when they are told.
Access to justice
Is there end on
rights of older persons? Doest have a limit? Asked older person. P.O -URAA Hoima
said that the rights are absolute and they don’t end. Every one has a right and
in enjoying the right one shouldn’t affect the rights of others. The older
persons said that court cases take long and even the police take longer to
investigate cases affecting the older person. P.O-URAA AJURA- Hoima said that as an
organization trained community paralegals with basic knowledge in laws and the
purpose was to help older persons in resolving conflict and promoting older
persons rights. He advised the older person to use the paralegals to ease
access to justice and have disputes resolved at a community level with out
incurring costs.
4. Recommendations
·
Rights
issues and older abuses be referred to the paralegals for support.
·
Awareness
raising on rights of older persons and obligations be extended at community level
·
Lobbying
for the older person grant roll out to Hoima district
·
Older
persons should be given special consideration in service delivery like in
health services older persons are weak cant line for long
·
Affirmative
action for the older person in order to fully enjoy their rights like other
special interest groups.
·
Government
construct housing for the older person who are unable to have own shelter
·
Engaging
with local leaders on older persons issues especially the elected sub county
representatives of older persons
·
Parental
hood of children and youth into useful and responsible persons
·
Older
persons to make land boundaries to minimize conflicts
Prepared by:
Albert Wabyoona
and Peter Byakuyamba.
