In an effort to champion the rights of older people across Nigeria, kakalistiq.com reports that the Age Nigeria Foundation, in collaboration with the Thani Oladunjoye Older Persons Care Center, is gearing up to organize the Age With Right Global Rally. This rally, a part of the Age With Rights Campaigns initiated by the Global Alliance on the Rights of Older Persons (GAROP), aims to raise awareness and advocate for the immediate drafting of a United Nations legal instrument on the rights of older people.
As a network member of GAROP, the Age Nigeria Foundation, according to its founder (Mrs. Oluwayemisi Oluwole), is part of a global network comprising nearly 400 organizations across over 80 countries. The Global Rally serves as a platform for older campaigners worldwide, including those in Nigeria, to call on governments to prioritize and support the formulation of a UN legal instrument specifically focused on safeguarding the rights of older individuals.
She noted that in Nigeria, older people will join their counterparts from around the world in engaging in various activities as part of the global campaign. Age Nigeria Foundation plans to organize seminars, correspond with government officials at both state and federal levels, and mobilize older campaigners to make specific demands for action on their rights during the rally.
She highlighted the pressing need for a new convention on the rights of older persons. In addition, she stressed the importance of addressing existing gaps in the international framework and ensuring the recognition of older people’s rights on a global scale, saying, “There is compelling evidence on why a new convention on the rights of older people is needed that will lead to the drafting of a UN legal instrument that will recognise the rights of older people all over the world.”
“I desire to see a new UN legal instrument that will recognize the rights of older persons all over the world, including Nigeria, in my lifetime,” expressed 94-year-old Pa Akinyemi, a member of Age Nigeria Foundation from Ogere, Ogun State. “I do not have the patience to wait any longer. I am in my advanced age. I want my rights recognized within the shortest possible time.”
As part of its efforts, she hinted that Age Nigeria will unveil two older campaigners who will represent older people in Nigeria at the UN Convention in New York. These campaigners will play a crucial role in advocating for the rights of older persons at the upcoming open-ended Working Group on Aging scheduled for May 20–24 this year.
