By Cecilia Ologunagba
A UN-appointed independent human rights expert, Ms Claudia Mahler, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give assent to the pending Older Persons Bill (Rights and Privileges).
Mahler, who made the call on Friday at the end of her 12-day visit to Nigeria, said signing the Bill into law would be part of the extended legacy of Buhari to promote the rights of older persons.
Mahler, in a statement, said the Older Persons Bill once signed into law would offer the most comprehensive legal framework ever available for older persons in the country, addressing among others, the social and economic challenges triggered by ageing.
The absence of social protection floors, including a regular distribution of pensions, contribute to the difficulty that older persons face in accessing social services, including appropriate healthcare, various care options, and adequate housing.
Older people in vulnerable situations – especially those with disabilities, internally displaced and living below the poverty line – should be prioritised by the government when implementing legal and policy tools.
“Continued efforts, along with political will and appropriate budgeting, must be strengthened to ensure that legal and policy safeguards protect the rights of all older persons all over the Nigerian territory in practice.
“This should be done indistinctive of their sex, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, and their living and economic situations,” the expert underscored.
Mahler said Nigeria must implement already adopted measures to protect older persons against ageism and age discrimination, both of which are still prevalent.
Mahler said in spite of commendable progress on legal and policy safeguards for older persons, the country should advance more.
Mahler, the independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights for older persons, said as well as ageism and age-discrimination, even among government officials, violence against older persons was an unspoken reality.
She welcomed the government’s progressive efforts in combatting poverty, security concerns, economic crisis, and gender-based inequalities faced by many older people.
The expert hoped the efforts would translate into the adoption of the National Senior Citizens Centre Act and the establishment of a dedicated Centre at Federal Government level to ensure that the human rights of older persons were mainstreamed in all programmes and activities.
During her visit, Mahler met with various government authorities at federal and state levels, civil society, stakeholders working on the rights of older persons and the elderly themselves.
She will present a comprehensive report of her findings and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in September 2023.
“I hope my report and recommendations will assist the country to reduce inequalities and ensure a life in dignity for all older persons in the country,” concluded the independent expert.
Independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation.
The positions are honorary and the experts are not paid for their work. (NAN)