75-year-old Umar Dayal, a resident of the Valelevu HARTS Home, has come out in public to highlight the plight of what elderly have to endure when there is no support provided for them
While speaking to fijivillage News during the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day celebrations, Dayal says he faced many problems in his life and had to deal with them to the best of his abilities, and now he is depending on others to survive.
He says he was brought to the home after people noticed the condition he was living in and the neglect from his family.
He says he got injured in an accident and, after some time, had to have both legs amputated – one soon after the accident and the other almost 17 years later.
Dayal says his family was not willing to care for him after both his legs were amputated.
Dayal says attending the celebrations allowed him to come out and meet others so he could hear their stories.
While delivering his address at the celebration, the Assistant Minister for Health, Penioni Ravunawa says this day allows people to honour the resilience of those who have endured.
He says in 2024, the World Health Organization found that one in six people aged 60 and above experience some form of abuse.
He emphasised that this is more than just a statistic – it represents voices crying out for justice, and they must not be ignored.
Ravunawa adds that the country has fines and certain laws in place to protect the elderly, including the Family Law Act 2003, the Domestic Violence Act 2009, and the Crimes Decree 2009.
He says these laws are still not enough, and that more awareness needs to be raised, with more voices speaking out against abuse.
