Violence and Abuse Against Older Persons

Presented by: Kazi Reazul Hoque

Full Time MemberNational Human Rights

CommissionBangladesh

Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on AgeingUN HQ New York 30 July-01 August 2014

A Big thank!!

Thanks to the UN initiatives for the Promotion and protection of the human rights and dignity of older persons

I also appreciate the role of APF and NHRI for monitoring the Human Rights of older persons.

Constitutional Obligation: Protection of Older Persons from Violence and abuse.

As per Bangladesh constitution, the needy elderly people has a right to social security. This is one of the fundamental principles of state policy (article 15d) and fundamental rights (article 26-47A)

Older Person demography in Bangladesh

The total elderly population is more than 12 million

Nearly 8% of the total population are elderly

Projected number of older population in 2050 is 20% of the total population

(that is, 1 in every 5 persons will be older person)

Some Ageing StatisticsYear Bangladesh

1950 1.8 million

1975 4.0 million

2000 8.0 million

2010 10 million

2025 11.8 million

2050 43.0 million

Every year 85 thousand Bangladeshi are being olderNow In BD 12: 1 OP; 2050 year 5 :1 older person

Type of Violence/ Abuse

 Abuse is widespread than violence in

Bangladeshi Community

Abuse• Indoor Abuse• Property Abuse• Financial abuse• Abuse through Media• Many rules and regulations are not older person friendly • Older persons are used in alms-giving (Begging) in BD which is a social evil• Poor condition of inheritance and succession

Type of Violence/ Abuse

 Violence• In Family • In Disaster (neglect in rescue)• Relief and rehabilitation• Minority Groups (Sex workers, Indigenous Community..etc.)•Hard Core Poor

1. Elderly necessity is often ignored

2. Older Persons don’t get priority in healthcare system

3. Socially they are marginalized

4. Many of them are physically abused

5. Disrespect to Elderly Rights is widespread

Some information on abuse

A Research Findings

• A recent PhD thesis of Dhaka University shows that 50% of the respondents agree that they are neglected and abused from the family and the society in Bangladesh.

• 18.33% respondents mentioned that they use to face mental and physical torture.

• A significant section of older persons did not response the question which depicts that the actual number will be much more higher.

A recent Study on Abuse

Elder Abuse and Neglect: Evidence from Bangladeshi Older Women.

by• Masud Ibn Rahman. Bangladesh Journal of Geriatrics. Vol 48

October 2013 PP 101-111.

Findings:

•A significant number of older women face neglect and abuse in Bangladeshi society.

•Psychological abuse is higher than other type of abuse and it exists in diverse form in the society.

•There exist a significant association between the economic status and the negligence or discrimination situation of older women in Bangladesh.

Research outcome of GGW Program, Institute of Social Welfare and Research(ISWR), Dhaka University.

Poverty- A key Issue of Violence and Abuse

•Total population of Bangladesh 160 million.

•30% of the total population are believed to live below the poverty line.

•Nearly 8 % (12 million) of the total population are older The poverty of Older Persons is much higher than other age groups.

• 85% people live in rural areas. The rural older person have massive poverty.

Initiatives: Government1. Old Age Allowance ProgramAs many as 2.75 million beneficiaries received this allowance at a monthly rate of Tk. 400. Administered by the Ministry of Social Welfare, this programme received an allocation of Tk. 8910 million in FY 2010-11.

2. Retirement BenefitsLeave Preparatory to Retirement (LPR)Gratuity, Family PensionGovernment AccommodationBenevolent Fund, Group InsuranceGeneral Provident fund (GPF)

3. Honorarium Programme for Insolvent Freedom Fighters

4. State Honorarium to the Disabled Freedom Fighters

5. Allowance Programme for Widowed, Deserted and Destitute Women

Other Ongoing Programmes under the Social Safety-Net

Food for Works Programme (FFW) Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) Programme Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) Programme Employment Generation Program for the Ultra-Poor Ashrayan (Poverty Alleviation and Rehabilitation) Project Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar (One House, One Farm) Fund for Housing the Homeless (Grihayan Tahabil) Poverty Eradication and Ensuring Livelihood for the People

Living in Economically Backward Areas Economic Empowerment of the Poorest in Bangladesh (EEP)

Project

Initiatives other than the government

Bangladesh Association for the Aged and Institute of Geriatric Medicine (Oldest NGO)

HelpAge International (INGO) Elder and Child Rehabilitation Centre (Philanthropist) Bangladesh Women’s Health Coalition (BWHC) Resource Integration Centre (RIC) (microcredit) Sir William Beveridge Foundation (home care) Bangladesh Retired Government Employers Welfare

Association Institute of social Welfare and Research (Academia) Bangladesh Gerontological Association (Professional group) Ageing Support Forum (bridging generations)

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

•NHRC Working in collaboration with GO, NGOs, Philanthropists and Social Workers of Bangladesh

to uplift the Human Rights of Older Persons.

Cause of Violence/ Abuse

 

1. Poverty, landlessness, change of values

and norms, urbanization and migration ,

materialistic thoughts, consumerism,

nuclear family.

2. Poor financial condition of Older persons

3. Social Safety net is weak

4. Rural population are mostly poverty striken.

Women: Looser in every aspect & victims of Social Injustice

Feminization of Ageing: •More women survive into late life compared to men. •More than two-thirds of the world’s oldest (85+) population are women •The risk of chronic disease such as joint pain, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart diseases is higher among older women• Older Women are the prime victim of neglect and abuse

Elderly Women in BAAIGM, the oldest NGO for older persons

Challenges and way forward

Challenges:• Resource constraints in Physical & Medicare • Limited access to employment• Accommodation problems & socio-cultural neglect • Lack of access to Rights & decision making in the family and community• Lack of participation in civil, political and socio-cultural rights• Isolation & loneliness

Way forward

• Formulation of policies and legislations at domestic and international level

• Strengthening Monitoring of the Care Giving System

• National Mechanism for monitoring and care

• mechanism for organizational and institutional level for care giving and monitoring

Developing home care giving facility in societal level

• Ensuring legal financial and social support

A home caregiver of SWBF in Dhanmondi area of Dhaka City)

Some Recommendations

1. Uplifting the Human Rights as well as Elderly Rights

2. Listening to them with respect

3. Giving priority to the elderly necessity

4. Not to neglect or abuse 5. Stand against elderly violence6. Inclusion of Older Person to

the decision making process7. Ensuring participation in civil

political and socio-cultural arena.

Compliance by the stakeholders

Implementation of the National Ageing Policy 2013

Implementation of the Parents Maintenance Act 2013

Religious obligation and cultural heritage

Positive role of the Media Inclusion of Old Age issue in the academic course

curriculum Strengthening Elderly Welfare programs from both

Government and Non-government level Ensuring Dower Money and Inheritance Wealth from the

state.