Mangaluru reports most cases of elder abuse : Survey
Delhi is among the top five Indian cities reporting high percentages of elderly abuse with 33 percent of the elderly population being treated poorly, a new survey has noted.
According to the 23 city report by HelpAge India released Thursday, the maximum amount of abuse happens in Mangaluru (47 per cent), followed by Ahmedabad (46 per cent), Bhopal (39 per cent) and Amritsar (35 per cent).
The study that aimed at understanding the extent, depth, form, frequency and reasons behind such abuse, revealed that nearly one-fourth of the elderly population experienced abuse personally, and often the main abusers were either sons (52 per cent) or daughters-in-law (34 per cent).
“Unfortunately, elder abuse starts at home and from whom they trust the most.
“This year the son has turned out to be the foremost perpetrator, followed by the daughter-in-law who normally is perceived as the primary abuser as per past surveys,”
Mathew Cherian, CEO, HelpAge India, said.
Another finding of the report underlined how 82 per cent of the abused elderly do not report the matter to either “maintain confidentiality of family matter” (52 per cent) or “do not know how to deal with problem” (34 per cent).
The latter suggests their lack of awareness, the report noted.
According to the elders participating in the survey, sensitisation of children and strengthening inter-generational bonding is the way forward.
“38 per cent elders feel the most effective way to deal with elder abuse is to sensitize children. Another way of tackling this increasing generation gap between the young and the old, is bridging this technology gap and empowering our elders,” Rohit Prasad, Chief Operating Officer, HelpAge India, said.
Joining hands in the fight against elder abuse, the organisation, along with 300 senior citizens from across the national capital, will hold a candlelight march on Friday at Parliament Street in Delhi.
The charitable organisation also runs a toll-free helpline for elders to be able to reach out for help in case of instances of abuse.
courtesy : hindustantimes.com
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Women BJP MLAs protest against opposition in UP assembly premises
Lucknow (PTI): Women BJP MLAs held a protest in the Vidhan Bhawan complex before the one-day special session of Uttar Pradesh assembly, slamming the opposition for defeating the passage of a bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Law, in the Lok Sabha.
This followed another demonstration by Samajwadi Party MLAs, who alleged that the BJP was misleading public in the name of women's reservation.
The women BJP legislators assembled in front of Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in the assembly premises, holding banners inscribed with the slogan "Insult to Matrushakti (women's power), India will not tolerate it". The protesting members entered the main hall of Vidhan Bhawan carrying the banners.
Participating in the protest, the state Minister for Women Welfare and Child Development, Baby Rani Maurya, told reporters that all opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, had opposed the women's reservation, a stance for which they would have to pay a heavy political price.
"On this issue, all of us women stand united. We will ensure that we secure our reservation," she said.
BJP MLA Ketki Singh remarked that their protest represents the collective outrage of millions of women across the state.
Singh asserted that the opposition has betrayed women by creating hurdles in the path of women's reservation. The current demonstration is merely the beginning, and very soon, women from every street, intersection and household will join the protest movement, she said.
Minister Vijaylakshmi Gautam said, "We strongly condemn the despicable act committed by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in an attempt to hold back 'half the population' (women). Their action was directed against the very bill that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced to empower and strengthen Nari Shakti (women's power), and which he strived to pass expeditiously."
Uttar Pradesh assembly is holding a one-day special session on Thursday. During the session, the government is set to move a censure motion against the opposition parties over their failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, in the Lok Sabha.
