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Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family   Elderly learn more about Orange Day campaign   |25 June 2022

Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family     Elderly learn more about Orange Day campaign   

The awareness session with the residents of the Anse Royale home for the elderly

The Research and Policy Planning Division continues with the Orange Day campaign which says ‘No to All Forms of Violence’.

This is one of the strategies being used by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family to highlight the issue of violence especially against women and girls who are statistically more vulnerable. It is a call for a peaceful, violence-free society, where no one is left behind, not even the perpetrators of violence.

Orange Day is observed every 25th of each month and everyone is encouraged to wear orange outfits or accessories on this particular day to demonstrate solidarity towards efforts to eliminate all forms of violence. 

Yesterday, June 24, the Division took the opportunity to meet with the elderly people of the Anse Royale regional home to create more awareness on the subject. It also coincided with the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) which falls on June 15 every year.

Nathalie Didon, responsible for programmes within the Research and Policy Planning Division, made a presentation on gender-based violence (GBV) where she highlighted various types of GBV, neglect, physical, sexual, financial and emotional.

Through the discussions the elderly spoke of financial and sexual abuses which are the common ones that the elderly face as far as their knowledge.

Mrs Didon presented the various solutions for a person who does GBV and also informed the residents how and where they can get support by using the Shout Out Violence Card which shows the various governmental and non-governmental organisations which can assist them.

Trisha Dine, senior monitoring and evaluation officer within the division, said that “grandparents are the family’s strong foundation, greatest treasure, and keepers of traditions. We thank them for their love and devotion. Stop abusing our elderly, let us cherish, appreciate, and fill their lives with happiness and affection in their golden ages”.

On the theme ‘Mon Fanmir Mon Leker’, Mrs Didon spoke about the values that are important for living in a home with a diverse group of people.

Mrs Didon emphasised the need to build a family life with each other through care, love, trust, tolerance, patience and understanding so they can live their golden ages in peace and harmony. She ended with Romans 12:16 that “we should live in harmony with one another”.

The elderly from the home participated actively and shared their experiences.

France Bristol, an elderly person, said that “We need to bring back spirituality in our schools, homes and society”.

Also present to support and take part in the event was the director of Homes, Lisa Cadeau.

She commended the activity and expressed that “the seniors are often victims of elder abuse in particular being exploited by friends as well as families. May we unite join hands and raise our voices in the mind of the abusers on the occasion of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day”.

 

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