NGO advocates inclusion of ageing in SDGs

NGO advocates inclusion of ageing in SDGs

NAN-HG-3

Advocacy

Abuja, March 13, 2016 (NAN) Dr Emem Omokaro, the Executive Director, Dave Omokaro Foundation, has the Federal Government and civil society groups to include ageing in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.

Omokaro made this call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

According to her, identifying aging as a development challenge in terms of health and poverty eradication would help in the care of the aged in the society.

She also said that engaging stakeholders that are interested in welfare of the aged would make it easier to evolve a policy action that would help in addressing the dignity and health of the aged.

“We want to see legislation and policy action for the health of older persons in the society.

“There must be enhanced understanding of the fact in every field of development; whether it is health, poverty alleviation, transportation and agriculture to include older persons.

“The perception of older persons should not be stereotyped and seen as welfare objects or that they have nothing to contribute.

“They should be seen as people that can contribute to the enhancement of the society,’’ she said.

She noted that inclusion of older persons in the nation’s policy as well as seeing them as an investment in terms of giving back to the society would help extend their life expectancy. (NAN)

CSO/AK/MST

Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Muhammad Suleiman Tola