Pretoria – Older persons will be given a chance to make direct inputs on the Draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa.
This was announced on Monday by Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini during the opening of the Older Persons Parliament held at the Mpumalanga Legislature.
The protocol, which is in its final draft, will serve as a guide to all African Union countries on the protection and advancement of older persons’ rights and interests.
Older persons taking part in the second Older Persons National Parliament were expected to make their inputs on the draft protocol in a special session on Monday and Tuesday during the South African Older Persons Forum Conference to be held in Mbombela Stadium.
During the sitting of their parliament on Monday, older persons had an opportunity to debate a number of issues.
The elders made a request to train public servants on the Older Persons Act so that they better understand the rights and special needs of older persons and in so doing, improve the services rendered to them.
This emanates from a number of concerns raised by older persons about how their special needs are not catered for in various public service facilities.
Among the suggestions made by the senior citizens to improve service provisioning to older persons included special queues for older persons in all public service points, improved public transport services that cater for their limited mobility and the introduction of victim empowerment centres in police stations to deal with older persons’ issues.
Parliament for Older Persons
The Parliament for Older Persons aims to give elders an opportunity to engage with the executive on critical issues affecting their lives as well as participate in decision-making on issues affecting them.
The idea of a Parliament for Older Persons was conceived through Project Mikondzo, the Department of Social Development’s service delivery improvement programme aimed at responding quicker, more effectively and innovatively to social challenges in the country.
The event takes place annually during Social Development Month (October). It is a campaign aimed at increasing access to and utilisation of social services.
Minister Dlamini said the issues raised during the Older Persons’ Parliament will be presented by the Department of Social Development to the relevant government departments for consideration and possible intervention. – SAnews.gov.za
