NHRC calls for stronger social protection for older persons

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for stronger social protection, accessible healthcare and comprehensive support systems for older persons in The Gambia, warning that growing old should not mean living in poverty, facing discrimination or depending entirely on family members for survival. Speaking at the commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons at the Senegambia Beach Hotel on Thursday, NHRC Chairperson Emmanuel D. Joof said protecting older persons must be recognised as a human rights obligation rather than an act of charity. The commemoration was held under the theme, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives,” which calls for a reassessment of social, economic and healthcare systems to meet the needs of an ageing population.

Joof said older persons deserved to live with dignity, good health, peace of mind and access to essential services, stressing the need for The Gambia to prepare for the future as more people live longer. According to figures cited by the NHRC chairperson, approximately 73,754 people in The Gambia are aged 65 and above, representing about three per cent of the population. He warned that this proportion was expected to increase, making it necessary for the country to strengthen its support systems for older citizens. “We want to grow old, we want to grow older, with dignity, with good health, access to basic services and peace of mind,” Joof said. He emphasised that the country must prepare for a future in which its citizens will increasingly need accessible healthcare, integrated social protection, appropriate care services and opportunities to participate meaningfully in society. “Protecting older persons should not simply be an act of charity. It is a matter of human rights, equality and…