Uncategorized

The Rights of Older Persons in Somalia should be prioritized during the consultation of amendments and constitutional review process of the Somali Federal Republic  As the constitution review process in Somalia was launched after the Somali federal parliament approved it, the civil society organizations have a vital task to accomplish during the constitutional review process which focuses on key human rights issues and policy guidelines including the rights of older persons in Somalia. Continuous neglect, isolation, lack of consideration and exclusion in humanitarian emergencies, recovery and development interventions, inadequate health care, lack of social services, and poor quality of life have impacted and hampered the care, development, and well-being of older persons in Somalia.  Somali HelpAge is a voice, that stands for and advocates for stopping the abuse of older persons at workplaces, and domestic violence and encourages older person engagement into political and social participation as violence against older persons increases and continues to unfold in our day-to-day lives, we have to ensure that Somalia becomes a society FREE FROM ELDER ABUSE and older persons should feel safe and receive their necessary social services to ensure they live in health and happier lives Therefore, we would like to bring to your attention, especially to the United Nations, the international community and other relevant stakeholders to work together and encourage the members from the lower House and Senate of the Somali Federal Parliament to prioritize and give more support and focus on issues that matter most to the vulnerable groups in the community and include the amendment of the constitutional review process all the relevant articles, policy guidelines, and  framework that are entitled to safeguard, protect and promote the rights and wellbeing of older persons in Somalia Somali HelpAge appeals to both the lower and senate house of the Somali Federal Parliament to establish the National Independent Commission on Older Persons and include the amendments to the constitution  We urge all the relevant authorities including Somali Federal Parliament and Senate representatives to support us in ensuring that the rights and interests of older persons in Somalia are preserved, respected, and protected in the review process of the Somali Federal constitution  We wish all parties to understand the importance of the call for action. Sincerely  Mr. Abdirahman H Mohamed  Public Relations Unit  Somali HelpAge Association  Mogadishu, Somalia

Somali HelpAge Association is a member of ECOSOC and its dedicated to provide social services and promote human rights and social protection for older persons in Somalia Global coalition on social justice is an umbrella of UN and international NGOs and member states who are committed to working on global social justice. photo: during Side event of Switzerland Mission to United Nations and ILO delegation to United Nations

SHAA Distributed A Cash Relief Program Donated By Hormuud Telecom In Mogadishu During the intervention 255 families (115 older male and 140 older women) headed by older aged persons living in IDP at Afgoye corridors in Lower Shebelle region and 125 families (83 older women and 42 older men) headed by desperate and vulnerable elderly persons living in IDPs in Mogadishu, Banadir region were assisted and given $100 cash relief grants and those assisted were happy with a kind of assistance they received. During selection and identification process, the team from Somali Help Age has visited the Mogadishu IDP camps and Afgoye corridors and identified the most vulnerable old aged people who has been living in the visited areas and recorded their full names, ages and family size. Thanks for Hormuud Telecom Company which has earnestly donated $60.000 Sixty Thousands US dollars to support the displaced vulnerable old aged people in Mogadishu IDP camps  and Afgoye corridors. In addition, there has been no any other support provided to those old aged displaced people in the camps visited by Somali Help Age staff as the elderly people told to our staff that they cant afford to queue or travel to long journey in search for relief food and wait for it as there has been no allocated relief programs to those vulnerable elderly people in the IDP camps or anywhere else in Somalia since the civil war and famine started in Somalia in 1991. Somali Help Age will continue to help support the old-aged people in Somalia.Source:Somali Help AgeMogadishu Office

During a visit to IDPs Camps in Mogadishu, our team started registering and issuing identification cards to IDPs in Camps around Mogadishu targeting the elderly or older persons. Read more below. Elderly women posing for a photo after receiving their identification cards

According to our field coordinators, we have been receiving a reports for the last three weeks that some regions of southern Somalia who are badly affected by the floods as regional and local authorities requested by an immediate emergency relief to support those affected by flood disaster. The most regions that affected by the floods are Hiran, Middle Shebelle, Lower Shabelle, Middle Juba, Lower Jubba and Gedo regions, So far thousands of people were displaced by the flooding and farmers along the riverine areas were swept away by flooding waters. President and Prime Minister of federal republic of Somalia visited Hiran region and requested the UN and  international humanitarian NGOs to help the flood victims of Southern Somalia Mohamed Siyah Project Coordinator Mogadishu, Somalia

 “The Disaster Risk and Age Index captures the collision of two trends: ageing populations and the acceleration of risk in a world which is increasingly exposed to natural and technological hazards,” said Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. Overall, those in Somalia, Central African Republic and Afghanistan face the highest risk, due in part to ongoing conflict coupled with the lack of service provision for older men and women. A poor result in the vulnerability domain reveals that in the Central African Republic, there are only 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people, no pension coverage, low life expectancy at 60 and high numbers of older displaced people. Older people are exposed to the lowest risk from disasters in Malta and Finland. In the Japanese Tsunami of 2011, 56% of those who died were aged 65 and over, despite this age group comprising just 23% of the population. Similarly of those who died in Hurricane Katrina in the US in 2005, 75% were aged 60 or over, but only 16% of the local population were aged 60 or over. The report has an in-depth focus on the South and East Asia area, as this is the region demonstrating some of the highest disaster and climate change related risks coupled with the fastest ageing populations. For example in Vietnam, there will be a 61.4% increase in the proportion of older people aged 60+, between 2010 and 2030. Already, 66% of the world’s over 60s live in less developed regions and by 2050 this is projected to rise to 79%. The world’s population of older people is expected to rise to 2.02 billion by 2050.2 “It is a sign of resilience that there will be this many older people in the world by 2050. But it is the unprecedented rate at which populations are ageing, alongside the increasing frequency of disasters, that presents policy makers with a challenge,” said Toby Porter, Chief Executive for HelpAge International. “We need to collect data disaggregated by sex, age and disability to demonstrate the impact of disasters on older people. This will help us to develop appropriate strategies in order to save lives,” said Porter. A study carried out in 2013 by HelpAge International, Disasters and diversity: a study of humanitarian financing, found that only 1% of funded projects in 2012 targeted older people. When older people are considered in disaster risk reduction efforts, often the responses are inadequate and ill-informed as older people are not engaged or consulted. “Older people are often seen as passive recipients of aid rather than active participants in disaster risk reduction activities,” said Godfred Paul, Senior Regional Programme Manager for HelpAge International, East Asia Pacific. “They often get overlooked.” Older people can be real champions for disaster risk reduction at the local level. In 2012, following training on disaster risk reduction, older people in Pakistan noticed the colour of the local river changing and contacted disaster management authorities of the early warning sign. The imminent flooding was confirmed and the community began diverting the water with digging equipment. Because of their actions, 50% less water reached the villages when the flooding occurred. HelpAge International is urging governments, NGOs and civil society organisations to sign up to Charter 14, a 14 point declaration pledging to include older people in disaster risk reduction efforts. HelpAge International will present the Disaster Risk and Age Index at the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk in Sendai on the IGNITE stage on 17 March.

Somali Help Age was invited and attended the 55th Session of United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in New York Theme of the UN Conference is the strategy to eradicate the poverty of the world in 2030. However, Somali Help Age together with other international and national organizations have dedicated their time and resources to share their expertise and field experience during the conference period. Somali Help Age was the only Organization from Somalia that attended this high level UN conference. . Hay-ada Daryeelka Waayeelada Soomaaliyeed oo ka qeyb gashay shirkii 55naad ee qaramada midoobay ee horumarinta iyo dabar goynta faqriga ee ka dhacay xarunta qaramada midoobay ee New York. Alle ayaa Mahad leh fursadaas noo suurta gaaliyey, waxaana ALLE ka rajaynaynaa in mustaqbalka aan aragno soomaaliya oo cagaheeda isku taagtay islamarkaana ay yaraatey dhibaatada heysata dadka soomaaliyeed gaar haan waayeelka, curyaamiinta, agoonta iyo dumarka iyo caruurta.

During a visit to Martini Hospital in Mogadishu Somali. Our well experience Somali Help Age team started Registering and issuing identification cards to older disability ( women & men and widow, divorcé ) in Hospital Martini. Those older people above mentioned need emergency help from every one  International NGO and Local NGO. Image of Older People suffering in Somali particular in Martini Hospital.