Each year on October 1, people across the world mark United Nations International Day of Older Persons to raise awareness of opportunities and challenges faced by ageing populations, and to mobilize the wider community to address difficulties faced by older people.
In the same month, religious bodies embrace the call to support the older persons, with this manifested by the works of Kampala archdiocese, where the Kampala archbishop declared a week of Good Samaritan to help the needy and make awareness in society.
According to the recent National Population and Housing Census of June 2024, individuals aged 60 and above make up five per cent of the country's population, roughly 2.3 million people.
ln accordance with Article 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 as amended, the government of Uganda is committed to affirmative action in favour of marginalized groups. This is on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom, for the purpose of redressing imbalances.
In addition to that, the Equal Opportunities Act 2007 provides for equal rights of all vulnerable groups, including older persons. Older persons are an asset to communities through contributing to the local economy, taking community leadership roles, contributing skills, experience and expertise in a variety of ways, volunteering, offering care of grandchildren, taking part in democratic processes, being active community members, caring for others, making and creating, being active consumers and having full, active lives.
This population increase, therefore, has far-reaching implications on the demand and access to specialized social-economic services for older persons. It is, therefore, important to note that older persons in Uganda contribute immensely to the creation of wealth, support and care of families, creation of social cohesion and conflict resolution in communities.
Population ageing is a major global trend reshaping society worldwide. Life expectancy at birth now exceeds 75 years in half of the world's countries, 25 years longer than in 1950.
As populations age, the demand for comprehensive healthcare and social support services has grown substantially, particularly for older persons with conditions such as dementia.
Government is committed to addressing the concerns and needs of older persons with various initiatives such as SAGE and SEGOP. There are more initiatives that government is considering to introduce for older persons such as the National Social Protection Strategy.
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Gone are the days when older persons were perceived to be generally weak and to be economically- dependent on others for survival. This situation has considerably changed. Older persons are now a very productive group in society.
They provide leadership in social and cultural organisations as clan heads, members of boards, opinion leaders and are local judges in arbitration of conflicts. They are masters in ethno-science (ability to diagnose and treat diseases based on experience). They provide security of property, especially customary land, and are an encyclopaedia or store of knowledge.
Aging starts right at the time of conception, and by 2050 the largest population(youths) of Uganda as of today shall be closing up to older adults (60+years). Therefore, the government and non-government initiatives need to be put in place for older persons in preparation for the aging population of Uganda.
The writer is the team leader at Livelihood Support Foundation
