URAA UNDER AJURA PROJECT SENSITIZE COMMUNITIES IN HOIMA DISTRICT ON OLDER PERSONS RIGHTS

 REPORT ON COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION ON OLDER PERSONS RIGHT IN KIZIRANFUMBI, KITOBA, and KYANGWALI & KIGOROBYA SUBCOUNTY CONDUCTED ON 27^th 28^th 29^th and 30^th 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.