Tomorrow is Children’s and Elders’ Day:

The past and the future

By Nilma DOLE

Healthy children will not fear life if their elders have integrity enough not to fear death. - Erik H. Erikson

As Sri Lanka celebrates the Children’s Day and International Day of Older Persons tomorrow, there is hope to do the best we can to protect and enrich the lives of our young and old. Children are our link to the future and the elderly population is our link to the past.

The question is, are we doing enough to protect the rights and lives of our children and senior citizens, or do they suffer in silence? As we read the shocking details of yet another child abuse case or a violent act on an elderly person, it seems as though love and care for our most precious citizens are fast diminishing.

No matter what laws are in place and how many criminals are brought to justice, it is imperative that we seek to preserve the innocence of our children and respect to our senior citizens. Ethics and values are now being replaced by money, greed and power. And more often than not, society is turning a blind eye to tradition and conservatism in favour of popular beliefs and monetary gains. What is most unfortunate is that this is done at the expense of others, including children and senior citizens.

With exposure to Western ideals, media and the Internet, we are constantly reminded that it’s not a safe world for bringing up children. Moreover, our elderly are sometimes neglected, abused and led to live their retirement days in a form of exile. So, is there any hope for a better tomorrow for our children and elders? The only way to tackle the situation is to inculcate values and ethics while ensuring that children know the difference between right and wrong.

Problems arise when children don’t know what is being done to them and accepting them as normal; it could severely impair their judgement and rob them of their childhood.

Conducive environment

In Sri Lanka, Children’s Day is celebrated in a big way - there are art, writing and talent competitions in every school and institution in every part of the country.

However, what is not addressed is if children are nurtured, protected and loved in a conducive environment that would be healthy and help them reach adulthood without any hindrances.

While most incidents of abuse and rape are carried out by someone known to the child, criminals are allowed to go scot-free, paying only a little for their crimes.

Reports of abuse and incest on the part of family members are also increasing and it isn’t easy for children to explain such cases to their parents for fear of being punished, tortured or even being asked to remain silent on the issue.

The International Children’s Day theme for 2012 is ‘Every Child in School’, but this is not a priority issue for Sri Lanka. Nearly every child born in the island, in any social strata, goes to school from the age of six. We boast the highest literacy rates in this part of the world, have a good standard of education compared to most countries in the region and parents go to extreme lengths to ensure that their children receive the best education at the best schools. Education is not an issue for Sri Lanka, but we have to tackle issues such as incest, abuse, rape and torture of children and ensure that ours is a society free of evil.

The same is true for our senior citizens for theirs is an unfortunate plight too. Keeping them in elders’ homes and hospitals until their last days has become a fad. Their children do not care, take the most from them by seizing their inheritances and make them live a life of misery.

Elderly population

According to the United Nations, worldwide there are around 600 million persons aged 60 years and over. This will double by 2025 and reach almost two billion by 2050 - the vast majority of them in the developing world.

The World Health Organization estimates that between four and six percent of older persons worldwide have suffered a form of elder abuse - physical, emotional or financial. In a statement,UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that emerging research suggests that abuse, neglect and violence against older persons, at home and in institutions, are much more prevalent than currently acknowledged. Such abuse is an unacceptable attack on human dignity and human rights. Making matters even worse, cases often remain unreported and un-addressed.

He said that respect for elders is an integral part of many societies. As people live longer, and as we strive for sustainable and inclusive development, it is time to revive and expand our appreciation for those who have advanced in years. A modern civilisation can only live up to that name if it preserves the tradition of honouring, respecting and protecting society’s elders.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that children hold the key to the future of a country and it is imperative that we instill values and discipline in them.

Guiding them on the correct path is of utmost importance and, as he said, it is the responsibility of every single person to safeguard the children in the country while also taking care of the elders in our society.