Three NGOs form alliance to support older persons
Three Ugandan Civil Society Organizations have formed an alliance to spear head popularization of the recently passed National Policy on Older Persons and promotion of older person’s rights.
The policy was launched October1, 2009 at the International celebrations held in Iganga. The alliance brings together, Matunda Ya Wazee, ACREF- a youth organization and UHSPA-Uganda.
The group would work towards promotion of a dignifying and health ageing rights for older persons. Uganda has 1.3 million old persons, but lack basic access to health services, when they are discriminated against.
Mr. Cris Kituku, the Matunda Ya wazee director, said it was unfair to deny the older persons their rights to health and dignity. He said there were a lot of challenges to access to pension funds, even when the older people qualify to get their money.
Under the initiative, ACREF, a youth organization led by Mr. Ivan Kintu would mobilize the youths in the country to support social efforts to help the aging.
He said there was a direct connection between revamping the older person’s rights and the youths, because majority of the population are young people. Mr. Kintu observed that with the challenges of HIV/AIDS and orphans, older persons had played a significant role in shouldering the care of young ones when their youthful parents died. UHSPA-Uganda, would play a senstisation role using the media
The policy was launched October1, 2009 at the International celebrations held in Iganga. The alliance brings together, Matunda Ya Wazee, ACREF- a youth organization and UHSPA-Uganda.
The group would work towards promotion of a dignifying and health ageing rights for older persons. Uganda has 1.3 million old persons, but lack basic access to health services, when they are discriminated against.
Mr. Cris Kituku, the Matunda Ya wazee director, said it was unfair to deny the older persons their rights to health and dignity. He said there were a lot of challenges to access to pension funds, even when the older people qualify to get their money.
Under the initiative, ACREF, a youth organization led by Mr. Ivan Kintu would mobilize the youths in the country to support social efforts to help the aging.
He said there was a direct connection between revamping the older person’s rights and the youths, because majority of the population are young people. Mr. Kintu observed that with the challenges of HIV/AIDS and orphans, older persons had played a significant role in shouldering the care of young ones when their youthful parents died. UHSPA-Uganda, would play a senstisation role using the media
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