THE United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Older Persons observed on October 1st to recognize the contributions of older persons and to examine issues that affect their lives. International Day of Older Persons is a special day for older persons or senior citizens all over the world. In many countries, politicians make speeches, particularly those responsible for government departments that focus on senior citizens, at this time of the year.
The theme of the 2014 commemoration is “Leaving No One Behind: Promoting a Society for All”. Living up to the UN Secretary-General’s guiding principle of “Leaving No-One Behind” necessitates the understanding that demography matters for sustainable development and that population dynamics will shape the key developmental challenges that the world is confronting in the 21st Century. If our ambition is to “Build the Future We Want”, we must address the population over 60 which is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030.
A demographic revolution is underway throughout the world. Today, world-wide, there are around 600 million persons aged 60 years and over; this total will double by 2025 and will reach virtually two billion by 2050 — the vast majority of them in the developing world.
It is unfortunate that as we approach the end of our productive years we have to depend on the tender mercies of our children to look after us even if we are financially solvent – if we are lucky enough, that is. Some unfortunate parents are thrown out of the very houses which they built by their own children – a sorry reward for giving them birth.
Our senior citizens deserve not special but equal treatment – especially as they have given their productive years to their country and their families by being responsible citizens and fathers. They deserve to have subsidized healthcare facilities and access to friendly methods of transportation – as already exists in Western countries. If they aren’t financially well-off then their food and housing should also be subsidized. It is worth noting that any country attains its current level of development by resting on the deed of the past – in this case the contributions made by the citizens of the past generation. Thus we have come so far by resting on their laurels. They deserve neither our pity nor mercy – what we must do for them we must do on the basis of gratitude and respect – for we have come to this stage of development based on their contributions and hard activities.
The truth is in our country the retired or otherwise senior citizens do not receive any attention. They have retired and they are forgotten. This international day of senior citizens should make us all aware that they need respect and care. The government must make some facilities available at state level.
