Community of Sant’ Egidio – a lay Catholic movement that propagates the rights of elderly people, children and prisoners – has called upon young people to take a leading role in safeguarding the rights and welfare of older people.
The community’s elderly coordinator for Lilongwe, Edda Mtalika, made the call in Lilongwe on Thursday during activities to commemorate this year’s Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Mtalika said it was sad that the youths have been in the forefront of violating and abusing the rights of the elderly.
“The youth should be on forefront to understand the rights for the elderlies and be ready to protect them. The youths in Malawi are mostly contributing to the abuse of the elderlies of which as the Community of Sant’ Egidio, we are trying to fill the gap of the old people and the youth,” she said.
Mtalika her expressed her movement’s commitment to partnering with the government and other like-minded organisations in raising awareness on the rights of the elderly.
The Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza, commended the community and other organizations for initiating various interventions to eliminate abuse of old people in Malawi.
Sendeza said her ministry is devising mechanisms for ensuring security and protection of old people, including pushing for the tabling and passing the Older Persons Bill into law.
“I wish to assure you that the bill will tabled in parliament this July,” she said.
