By Ebunoluwa Sessou

In a bid to emphasise the need to promote the rights of the elderly in the society, a non-governmental organisation, Center for Gender Economics, CGE recently organized a Photo Shoot for four elderly women including Mama Lydia 100, Mama Tomasa, 91,  Mama Florence, 97  and Victoria 59 years.

The Photo Shoot was aimed at celebrating this year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, WEAAD, WEAAD,  which comes every June 15.

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Celebrating the four elderly women according to CGE, was to showcase their life experiences of hard work, life struggles, sacrifice, and resilience.

The Executive Director, CGE, Uchenna Idoko, in her statement, disclosed that the four women who are widows need to be protected and their well-being supported.

According to her, the photoshoot was to beam light on the positive sides of the elderly in the society with the theme, “Beauty in Experience”.

“We are implementing a project titled Promoting Socio-Economic Inclusion of Elderly Women through Wellbeing Parties in communities in Lagos State and this project is funded by Global Affairs Canada and Actionaid Nigeria.

“Our aim is to emphasize on their rights to joy by building their confidence, and self-care consciousness. Elderly persons are essential in the fabric of our society. It’s time for us to acknowledge their importance and identify that they are entitled to the respect of their communities and especially their families”, she said.

While lamenting the incessant abuse leashed on the elderly, she said, it occurs in every social, economic, indigenous and geographic setting, communities without many of us knowing about it. There are no adequate policies put in place to stop the abuse and defend the rights of older people.

Vanguard